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ONE BAY IN HULL I MET A FRIENB 




Robinson Crusoe 

FOR 

YOUNG READERS 






BY 

LOUISE A. CHAPPELL 


ILLUSTRATED 


A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 

CHICAGO NEW YORK 


LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two OoDies Received 

APh 27 1906 

Copyright Entry 
CLASS XXc. NO. 

COPY B. 


Copyright, 1903. 

by 

A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 



PREFACE 


The fact that the story of Robinson Crusoe is rich in 
economic and social values has placed it among English 
Classics for children. That the story possesses great interest 
for them may not be denied. Robinson Crusoe, having from 
childhood a strong desire to lead a roving life, leaves home 
against his parents^ advice, and takes all the risks into his 
own hands. He goes through hardships of every kind, and 
at last is cast upon a lonely island, which he discovers is 
uninhabited. This novel situation awakens the little reader 
to wonderment as to how he is going to live, and he eagerly 
follows Robinson Crusoe as the castaway builds his home and 
accustoms himself to new and untried conditions. 

In the hope that it may aid teachers in bringing out the 
thoughts of the class, in three ways, this little volume has 
been written in simple language. 

The complete dependence of man upon Nature they can 
be taught to recognize. Next, his dependence upon his 
fellow beings. In a simple way the divisions of labor can 
be given; to which may be added that it is our duty to 
consider and aid others, with an illustration in the finding 
of Friday, and the care given to him. Robinson^s longing 
for companionship calls forth the idea that man is a social 
being. Lastly, Robinson Crusoe ^s religious nature, and his 
recognition of and submission to God, bring forth and 
strengthen the thought that he was comforted and given 
spiritual aid with which to bear his denials, hardships and 
loneliness. 

The Author 

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ROBINSON CRUSOE 

FOR YOUNG READERS 


CHAPTER I 

Robinson’s childhood and first voyage 

I was bom in the city of York, in the year 1632. 
1 had two brothers. One, a soldier, was killed 
by the Spaniards when his regiment was in Flanders. 
The other left home and we never learned what 
became of him. As I was the youngest and only 
child left to my parents, they loved me dearly 
and wished to do all that was possible for my 
good and my happiness. 

My father was a merchant and a man of means, 
and I was sent to the best schools. I was told by 
my parents that everything that would make 
hfe pleasant should be given me, and that when 
I was old enough I should be sent to a law 
school. 

From my earliest childhood, my strongest desire 
had been to spend my life at sea, and as I grew 


8 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


older this desire grew stronger. It filled my 
thoughts by night and by day; so that I wished 
for nothing so much as to lead the rambling life 
of a sailor. For these reasons I was not happy in 
my home life; and my parents saw, by my actions, 
that something held me back from enjoying all 
that was provided for my benefit and pleasure. 

When my father heard of my desire to go to 
sea, he felt very sad, and sent for me to come to 
him. Both he and my mother talked the matter 
over with me. They promised that my life should 
be one of ease, and that they would do everything 
in their power to make me happy if I would give 
up going to sea. They said: ^Tf you insist upon 
going against our advice, God will not bless you. 
Some great evil will overtake you; and when it 
is too late, and no one is near to aid or help you, 
you will be sorry that you left your friends, and 
were not guided by the parents who love you so 
dearly.^^ 

I was deeply touched by all that was said, and 
I made up my mind that I would give up all 
thoughts of a roving life, and try to see what I 
could make of myself. 

But, alas! In a very short time this feeling 
wore off, and to prevent further entreaties from 
my father I resolved to run away. However, it 
was a year before I had the courage to make 
the break. 


Robinson’s childhood and first voyage 9 

It came about in this way. Being one day in 
Hull, a seaport town, I met a friend who was going, 
on his father’s ship, to London. He begged me 
to go with him. T^en I refused, he said : “It will 
cost you nothing, as you can work your way,” 
and urged me so strongly that at last I consented 
to go. I was then eighteen years old, and was, I 
thought, old enough to decide for myself. So we 
went on board the same day and set sail for London. 

Our ship had no more than passed out of the 
harbor when a great storm came up. The wind 
blew furiously, and the sea rose in a most frightful 
manner. As I had never been to sea before, and 
was but a young sailor, I was very seasick and 
terribly frightened. 

In my agony I thought of my parents, and of 
all the good advice my father had given me, but 
to which I had turned a deaf ear. Then I remem- 
bered all the comforts I had left. I wished that 
at least I had not come away without saying 
good-by. It did seem as if God had sent this 
great storm as a punishment to me, and in my 
distress I said: “If God but spares my life, I will 
go straight back to my father’s house and never 
go on a ship again.” 

Toward night the weather cleared. I slept 
well,, and in the morning awakened to find the sun 
rising on a smooth sea, making bright each wave. 
The sight was the most beautiful I had ever seen. 



10 


WE EKOUGHT OUR GUNS TO BEAR UPON THEM 



ROBINSON^S CHILDHOOD AND FIRST VOYAGE 11 

As I was no longer seasick, and was taken up with 
the beauty about me, I did not remember my 
wise thoughts of the previous night, or the promise 
I had made to myself that I would give up the 
life of a sailor. 

On the sixth day we came into Yarmouth 
Roads. Here we were obliged to cast our anchor, 
as the wind rose, bringing us another and a greater 
storm. All on the ship were frightened, even the 
oldest sailors; each time we sank down into the 
hollow of the sea we thought we should never 
come up again. 

I lay perfectly still in my cabin in the steerage, 
quite stupid from seasickness and fright. When 
at last I ventured slowly to open my eyes, all 
about me was distress and suffering. The captain 
passed by, and I heard him say softly to himself : 
‘^Lord, be merciful to us, we shall be lost!” The 
sea, which was running mountain-high, burst upon 
us every few minutes. 

Still, the worst was to come. At midnight 
one of the sailors cried out: ^‘WeVe sprung a 
leak, and there is four feet of water in the hold.” 
All hands were at once called to the pumps. At 
this order I felt as if my heart died within me, and 
I fell back upon the bed on which I had been 
sitting. But the sailors soon roused me up, saying I 
was quite as able to work as anyone there. Then 
I began to pump, and worked with a will. 


12 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


While we were all busy pumping out the water, 
the captain, seeing some vessels near us, ordered 
one of the men to fire a gun as a signal of distress. 
The firing was heard by the men on a ship not 
far away, and they sent a boat to help us. Another 
boat was sent out by the people who were on 
the shore, watching the storm. We had much 
trouble in getting into the boats, as the sea was 
still rough. And we were only just in time, for 
a quarter of an hour after we left our ship she 
sank. Then I knew what it meant when a ship 
foimdered at sea. I was altogether too much 
frightened to look at her when the sailors said 
she was sinking. 

As soon as we were all safely landed, we started 
out to walk to Yarmouth. Here we were very 
kindly treated by some rich merchants and ship 
owners, who gave us money for our journey back to 
London. 


ROBINSON A SLAVE TO THE TURK 


13 


CHAPTER II 

ROBINSON A SLAVE TO THE TURK 

As for me, having some money of my own in 
my pocket, I traveled to London by land. If I 
had then gone home to my parents, all would have 
been well. It was hard to know which course to 
take. My duty was to return home, and make 
full confession of my disobedience, and ask pardon 
for all my wrong doing; and not only that, but 
to act upon my promise to myseh to give up a 
roving life. But shame held me back from doing 
what I knew to be right. 

I had good clothes, and gold in my pocket, so to 
sea I went in a trading vessel bound for the coast 
of Africa. The captain was kind to me, and from 
him I learned to reef a sail and steer a ship, besides 
other things a sailor should know. 

Our voyage proved to be a most unhappy one. 
As we were sailing toward the Canary Islands, 
some Turks in a small ship came on our track in 
full chase. We set as much sail as our yards 


14 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


would bear, but the pirates gained on us. We 
felt sure that in a few hours they would come up 
to us, and at last they did. We brought our guns 
to bear upon them, which made them sheer off 
for a while, but they returned, and sixty of their 
men came upon our ship and fell to cutting our 
sails, and doing other harm. Ten of our men were 
killed and some wounded, so we knew the Moors 
were too strong for us, and we gave up. 

They took our ship and carried us off to Sallee, 
the place in Africa where they all lived. I was 
taken by the captain of their band as his slave, 
and lived with him for two years. 

It was a sad change for me; I often thought of 
my home, and deeply grieved that I had not 
listened to the good advice given to me by my 
parents. My father^s words would come into my 
thoughts, when he said: “If you do not listen 
to what I say, some evil will happen to you, and 
there will be none near to help you.’’ 

The Turk did not treat me so badly as I feared 
he would. After I had been with him nearly two 
years he gave me more freedom. Often he would 
take me and a boy named Xury \vith him v/hen 
he fished along the coast. Once he sent us by 
ourselves. While we were out a dense fog came 
on, and although we were but half a mile from 
shore, we" lost sight of it for twelve hours. When 
the Turk heard what happened, he said: “When 


ROBINSON A SLAVE TO THE TURK 


15 


you go again your boat shall hold every possible 
need, lest you should again be kept at sea/^ 

One day, a little later on, he sent us out again, 
bidding us be sure that we had a generous supply 
of food and wine. 

I had never quite given up the idea of sometime 
making my escape. Now, thought I, the moment 
had come in which to gain my freedom. 

So I said to Xury as we made ready to go: 
^^Xury, the Turk^s guns are in the boat, but we 
have no shot. You know where it is kept; run 
and get some. We may want to shoot a fowl or 
two.^’ So he brought me a pouch filled with 
powder, and some shot — all we could possibly 
need for our guns. I secretly stowed away more 
wine, a large lump of wax, an axe, a spade, a saw, 
and some rope. Then we set sail. 

I steered to sea until we had lost sight of land. 
Then I said to Xury: do not mean to return 

to the Turk. If you will be true to me, I will 
make a great man of you and treat you well; 
otherwise I must at once cast you out of this boat 
into the ocean. The boy listened to all I had 
to say, and promised to obey me. He added: 
am willing to go all over the world with you.’^ 
Our next course was to the east, so that we 
could get nearer to the shore. Having a smooth 
sea and a fresh gale, we made such sail that by 
three o’clock the next day, we were at least one 


16 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


hundred and fifty miles from Sallee, and beyond 
ail present fear of my master. 

But there was still danger that the Turks might 
follow us, and I felt that unless we could put a 



<: 

I STEERED TO SEA 


greater distance between us, we were not entirely 
safe. So we sailed with all the speed we could 
make for five days, always keeping near the shore. 

Coming to a point of land that ran out into the 
sea, we sailed around it, and made the discovery 


ROBINSON A SLAVE TO THE TURK 17 

of land, far out in the ocean. It must be the 
Cape de Verd Islands. Should I try to reach 
them? I did not know what kind of people lived 
there, or how we should be treated. Leaving 
Xury at the helm, I went into the cabin to think 
it over. 

All at once Xury came running in to me, crying : 
^ ^Master! Master! A ship I A ship 1^' 

I ran out with him upon the deck. Poor Xury 
was nearly dead with fright, as he thought it a 
ship sent to take us back to the Turk. But I 
saw at one glance that it was a European vessel. 
So we made what sail we could, to come into the 
ship^s way. I told Xury to fire a gim, for if they 
could not hear it, it was possible they could see 
the smoke. They did see it, and at once lowered 
their sails so that we could come up to them. 

The people on the ship were greatly amazed 
when they heard my story. The captain bade 
me come on board, and to bring with me Xury 
and my goods. 


18 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER III 

ROBINSON WRECKED ON AN ISLAND 

It was great joy to know that I was again safe 
from the pirates. The captain was very good to 
us. He bought my boat and all that it contained 
for a good round sum; and said he would pay 
the same amount for Xury. At first I did not 
feel that I could part with him. The poor boy 
had helped me to gain my freedom, and I had 
promised to do well by him. Finding out later 
that Xury was willing to go, I let the captain have 
him. He said he would treat the lad well and 
give him his freedom in two years. 

Our ship was bound for Brazil, and the captain 
added to his kindness to us by refusing to take 
money for our passage. We reached Brazil in 
twenty-two days. I soon learned that the planters 
lived well, and seemed to grow rich rapidly. So 
I made up my mind that I would buy land and 
raise tobacco and sugar. This would not be hard 
to do. I had money in London which I could 


ROBINSON WRECKED ON AN ISLAND 19 

send for, and I had, besides, the gold received 
from the captain for my boat and other things. 

I bought land and started my plantation. Two 
or three years passed by, and I was doing well. 



ONE DAY SOME PLANTERS CAME TO TALK WITH MB 


I should have been quite contented, but for my 
taste for a roving life. 

One day some planters, who lived near me, 
came to talk with me about a ship they were 



20 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


going to send to the coast of Africa for slaves. 
They urged me to take charge of it, and said: 
'Tf you will go, you shall have a share in the 
slaves to pay for your trouble.’^ So I promised 
that I would go. 

We went on board September the first, the 
very day on which, eight years before, I had left 
Hull to sail to London, not heeding the good advice 
of my parents. 

The same day we set sail. Our ship carried 
sixty guns, and fourteen men besides the captain. 
We took saws, chains, toys and bits of glass, to 
use in trade with the savages. 

In twelve days we passed the equator, and then 
a strong wind came on. We were taken quite out of 
our course, so that we did not know where we were, 
and for twelve days more we could do nothing 
but let it drive us before it. None of us had hope 
that our lives would be spared. To add to our 
trouble, a man and a boy were washed overboard 
and drowned. 

Early one morning there was a cry of “Land! 
Land!’^ and before we could run out of the cabin 
to look about us, the ship struck with great force 
upon a sand bank. At once she sank deeply, so 
that we could not get her off. And the waves 
broke upon us in such a way that we all expected 
to find pur graves in the deep sea. 

The only thing left us to do was to get to shore 


ROBINSON WRECKED ON AN ISLAND 21 


as well as we could; or at least to try to. There 
had been a boat at our ship’s stem, but the force 
of the waves had tom it away. One smaller 
boat was still on shipboard, and this the crew 
got over the side of the ship. We all jumped in 
(there were eleven of us), and let her go with the 
tide, tmsting to God’s mercy. We had to work 
very hard with our oars, as the sea became rougher, 
and we had no sails to help us. But we prayed 
to God and worked with a will. 

When we had rowed three miles, a foaming, 
curling wave, mountain-high, stmck us, and with 
such force that our boat was at once upset, and 
we were all thrown into the sea. 

I cannot tell you how I felt when I sank into 
the water. I could swim well, but the force of 
the waves made me lose my breath too often to 
make much headway. At length a huge wave 
lifted me up and carried me to the shore. Although 
half dead with fear, I tried my best to get upon 
my feet, and far enough on land to be beyond the 
reach of the waves. But, alas! a great wave as 
high as a hill overtook me and dragged me back 
into the sea. The next incoming wave was quite 
as high and as strong; it dashed me against a rock, 
leaving me unconscious. 

However, I soon knew where I was, and, some 
strength coming back to me, I stood up and ran 
a little farther in, so that the next wave did not 


22 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


catch me. Very soon I had climbed up the cliffs 
of the shore, and sat down upon the grass, quite 
out of the reach of the waves. 

I never saw my comrades again, or any sign 
of them, except three of their hats and a pair of 
shoes that were not mates. 


\ ' i. 


r - 


Robinson's first carpenter work 23 


CHAPTER IV 

Robinson's first carpenter work 

Now that I was safely on shore, my joy was 
great. In my delight I ran up and down the 
beach, thanking God at each step that I had been 
saved when all my mates were lost. 

Sitting down after a while to rest, I began to 
feel for the first time how lonely and helpless I 
really was. Here I was, wet and cold, with no 
dry clothes to put on, nor food to eat; with no 
friend to speak to, or to whom I could look for 
help. I feared wild beasts, but I had no gun 
with which to shoot at them. In fact, I had 
nothing about me but a knife, a pipe, and a small 
box of tobacco. 

The very thought of my helplessness, and that 
there was no human being to whom I could speak, 
put me in such a state of mind that I walked about 
the shore like a madman. 

Sunset was drawing near. I must think of 
some way to pass the night. I could not lie on 



OUR-SHIP HAD BEEN DRIVEN TOWARD THE SHORE 

24 


ROBINSON^S FIRST CARPENTER WORK 25 

the ground, as there might be danger from wild 
beasts. There seemed to be nothing to do but to 
find some high, bushy tree in which to make my bed. 

I looked about me for water and to my great 
joy I found a spring quite near. I took a good 
drink and then climbed into a thick, bushy tree 
not far away. But before I did so I cut a stout 
stick with which to defend myself, in case any 
wild beasts should discover me, and I made a kind 
of nest in which to rest, by folding over the branches 
of the tree. I was very tired, and in a few minutes 
I fell asleep. 

When I awakened it was broad daylight. The 
sky was clear, the sea smooth. Looking out upon 
the water, I was surprised to see that our ship 
had been lifted from the sand and driven toward 
the shore, nearly as far in as the rock upon which 
I had been dashed the day before. She seemed 
to be standing upright and not more than a mile 
away. 

At once I came down from the tree to look 
about me. Then I saw that the ship^s boat was 
on the beach, two miles to the right. I started 
to walk to her, but I could go but a short distance, 
as an arm of the sea, a half mile in length, cut me 
off from her. Coming back I hit upon a way 
to reach the ship. I would wait until the tide 
went out at noon, and then I should be able to 
walk almost out to the wreck. 


26 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


At noon I walked to the water^s edge, pulled off 
my clothes, and jumping into the water, swam 
to the ship. As I reached it I spied a piece of 
rope hanging over the side, so low that I was able 
to get hold of it, and by its help I got on board. 

You may be sure the first thing I did was to 
look for food. I made my way to where the bread 
was kept, and ate some as I looked about me, as 
there was no time to lose. 

I saw many things that would be of use, but 
how was I to get them on shore? At last it came 
to me that I could make a raft, as there were 
several spare yards, two or three spars of wood, 
and one or two top-masts. I flung as many of 
these as I could overboard, tying each one with 
a rope as I dropped it, so that none could drift 
away. This done, I went down the ship’s side. 
I pulled the pieces of timber to me and tied four 
together in the shape of a raft. Then I laid short 
pieces of plank on them crosswise. Testing my 
raft, I found that I could walk upon it, but that 
it would not carry a great weight. So I set to 
work with a carpenter’s saw that I foimd, and 
cut a top-mast into three pieces, which I added 
to my raft. Then it was strong enough. 

My next care was to prepare it for loading. I 
laid upon it all the planks and boards that I could 
find, and then I gathered in haste the things I 
needed most. I emptied three of the seamen’s 


ROBINSON^S FIRST CARPENTER WORK 27 

chests, and then lowered them upon the raft. 
Into them I put bread, Dutch cheese, five pieces 
of goat^s flesh and the remainder of some corn 
which had been laid aside for fowls. There had 
been a little barley, but I found the rats had 
spoiled it. 

I took our cats with me, but not our dog Berri. 
The good fellow swam ashore to me the next day. 

While I was busy packing my^chests, the tide 
began to flow. Looking up, I saw that my coat, 
shirt and waistcoat had been swept from the shore 
into the sea. This made me think to look about 
for much needed clothes. I soon found many, 
but I took only enough for present needs, as there 
were other things that would be of more use to 
me, such as tools to work with on shore. After 
a long search I foimd a carpenter’s chest, which 
would be of more value to me than a shipload 
of gold. 

Everything was now in readiness, but how was 
I to get my raft to the land? I had neither sail, 
rudder nor oar. To be sure, the sea was calm, 
the tide was setting in, and the wind was blowing 
toward the land, three things in my favor. 

I had the good fortune to find a pair of broken 
oars, and with these to aid me I pushed away 
from the ship. For half a mile the raft went 
well. Then I discovered we were drifting to one 
side of the point where I had meant to land, and 


28 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


where I had hoped to find some creek or river 
which would help me in getting my things on shore. 
At last I saw a creek, and to this, with much hard 
work, I guided my raft, keeping her as well as I 
could in the middle of the stream. 

But here I came near losing my cargo, for know- 
ing nothing of the coast, I ran my raft aground 
upon a shoal of sand; the other end being on the 
slope and in the water. So all my things would 
have slipped off and been lost, had I not hastily 
moved my chests to keep them in their places. 
In a half hour the tide rose and lifted me off 
the shoal. When the water was a foot deep, I 
thrust the raft on a piece of flat ground, and 
fastened her by sticking the broken oars in the 
sand, one on either side of her. Thus I let her 
lie until the tide went out. Then I had my raft 
and cargo on dry land. 




ROBINSON^S ISLAND HOME 


29 


CHAPTER V 

ROBINSON^S ISLAND HOME 

My next work would be to find a spot on which 
to make a little home for myself, and where I 
could stow away my things. As yet I did not 
know whether I was on an island or a continent. 
Neither could I tell if people lived near me. There 
was a hill not far away, and I made up my mind 
to go to the top of it; I hoped that from there I 
could see what kind of a place I was in. Taking 
with me my gun, pistol, and powder pouch, I 
started off. 

When I reached the top of the hill and looked 
about me, I could see only the ocean on every 
side. There was one exception; far out in the 
distance was some land, and about ten miles to 
the west were two islands. 

I was greatly distressed to find I was on an 
island, with no signs of people living upon it. I 
saw no men or women, or any houses or huts, nor 
did I see any wild animals, and for this I was most 


30 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


thankful. There seemed to be a great many 
kinds of birds on the island. Some were unlike 
anything I had ever seen before. 

As I returned, I shot a bird which was sitting 
on a tree near my path. Mine must have been 
the first gun ever fired here since the world began. 
At the sound of the firing, whole flocks of birds 
flew out from every part of the woods, with loud 
cries of distress. I also saw several hares running. 
The bird that I killed was like a hawk, except 
that it had no claws. 

The rest of the day I spent in bringing my 
goods from the raft. Toward night, so that I 
might rest with less fear, I built a sort of hut, by 
putting the chests and boards together in the 
shape of one. Lying down with my gun at my 
side, I soon fell asleep. 

The next morning I thought again of the wreck. 
I made up my mind that it would be best to get 
as much as possible from the ship, as the next 
storm might tear her to pieces, and everything 
would be carried far beyond my reach. 

I swam out as before, and the first thing I did, 
after reaching the wreck, was to make another 
and better raft. Looking into one of the chests, 
I found a carpenter’s box, with nails and spikes 
and several hatchets. There were two barrels 
of bullets, a quantity of powder, and a bag of shot. 
All these things I took, besides an old grindstone. 


ROBINSON^S ISLAND HOME 


31 


sails, bedding, and men’s clothes. I loaded my 
raft and took them all safely to shore. 

As I drew near to land, I began to fear that some 
beasts might have devoured my stores while I 
was away. When I reached my hut I foimd only 
a wildcat, sitting upon one of the chests. WTien 
within a few steps of my visitor, I pointed my 
gim at her. Not knowing what a gun was for, 
she did not stir. Then I went closer to her. This 
seemed to frighten her, and she ran a short distance. 
Then she stopped, and, turning, looked up into 
my face, as if to make friends with me. I threw 
her a piece of dried goat’s flesh, which she ate; 
then she took her leave. 

Having unloaded my second cargo, I went to 
work to make a tent, with the sails and some poles 
I had cut for that purpose. WTien it was finished 
I carried into it all that I thought would be spoiled 
by the sun or heavy rains. To make the tent 
safer and stronger I piled all my empty chests 
and boxes about it, blocking up the doorway 
with some boards. Then I spread upon the ground 
one of the beds brought from the ship, and went 
to bed for the first time upon my island. Being 
very weary from a hard day’s work, I slept 
soundly. 

The following morning, and each day afterward, 
I went at low water to the old ship. I carried 
away spars, spare canvas to make sails, rope and 



I PUSHED AWAY FROM THE SHIP 
33 





ROBINSON S ISLAND HOME 


33 


twine, a box of sugar, a barrel of flour, and three 
casks of rum. One day, to my great delight, I 
found a hogshead of bread. I knew from its 
weight it would be a great task to get it to land. 
I set to work to puzzle out how I could make it 
easier. At last the idea came to me to cut some 
of the cable of the ship into pieces, and, gathering 
all the bits of iron I could find, to put them with 
the pieces of cable upon my raft. Then I should 
be sure of the strength of my raft. But just as 
I entered the cove — the one where I had landed 
all of my other goods — the raft upset and threw 
me and my cargo into the water. 

I was so near the shore that no great harm was 
done. As for myself, I soon reached dry land. 
When the tide went out I got most of the pieces 
of the cable and some of the iron. 

I had now been on the island thirteen days, and 
had taken from the wreck all that one pair of 
hands could well carry. The last time I went out 
I found in a locker two or three razors, a pair of 
large scissors, a dozen good knives and forks, and 
some gold. 

drug,’’ I said aloud, as I looked at the money, 
“thou art of no use to me! Stay where thou art, 
and sink with the ship.” And I thought: “One 
knife is worth all this heap of gold.” 

On second thoughts, however, I picked up the 
gold. I might as well have it. It might prove 


34 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


of use some time. So I wrapped it carefully in 
a piece of canvas. 

Then I began planning a new raft. While 
busy getting ready to do the work, I looked up 
and discovered that a storm was coming. The 
wind began to rise, and a stiff gale blew from the 
land. To guide a raft in such a storm would be 
impossible. There was nothing left for me to 
do but to swim ashore with the gold and all else 
that I had the strength to carry. 

I reached my tent safely and lay down to rest. 
At dawn of day I put my head out and looked 
toward the sea. No ship was to be seen. Then 
I was very glad that I had made the most of my 
time, and had got all that would be of use to me. 


ROBINSON BUILDS A HOUSE 


35 


CHAPTER VI 

ROBINSON BUILDS A HOUSE 

I now saw that my little hut or tent would 
hardly answer to live in. I should need better 
protection from the weather, and a larger place 
in which to store my things. So I looked about 
me for a spot on which to build a house. 

After a while I came upon a green plain at the 
foot of a hill. The side of this hill, toward the 
plain, was as steep and straight as a wall; surely 
no harm could come to me from above. And 
in this rock wall a hollow place had been worn, 
so that it looked like the doorway into a cave. 

There were two reasons why I should decide 
upon this spot as the place to make my home. 
I should be sheltered from the intense heat of the 
sun, as it faced toward the west; and with the 
good view of the sea it gave me, I should be seen 
and helped if God should send a ship to this shore. 
I was much pleased, and said to myself: can 

make a very nice home here/^ 


36 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


I set to work at once. First of all, I drew a 
half circle in front of the hollow place, its farthest 
point about ten yards from the rock. Into this circle 
I drove two rows of stakes, until they stood firm. 
I think I placed the rows about six inches apart. 
Then I laid the cables which I had cut in the ship, 
one upon another, between the stakes, imtil I had 
reached the top. The fence was over five feet 
high, and I put small sticks around the top of it, 
cut in the shape of spikes. It was hard work to 
get the wood, and then to make it ready for use. 
But when my fence was finished it was so strong 
that neither man nor beast could get in. 

Inside of this enclosure I put up a double tent, 
by placing a large tent over a smaller one. Then 
I covered the outside tent with a sail cloth, hoping 
in this way to make it waterproof. 

When I built my fence I left no opening for a 
gateway, as I feared to do so. I made, instead, a 
ladder that I might use in climbing over the top. 
When I was inside I lifted the ladder in after me. 
I worked each day as much as I could, but the 
fencing in of my home lasted three months. The 
stakes used had to be cut and made ready in the 
Vvoods before they were carried to my hillside 
home. Even then it sometimes took two days 
to put one in the ground. 

The rainy season came on, and I found that 
water would get into my tent, where I had stowed 


ROBINSON BUILDS A HOUSE 


37 


away most of my things. So I must find a way to 
build a house. 

I began by digging in the hollow place in the rock. 
It was hard, slow work, as I had no good tools. 
For a pick-axe I used an iron crowbar, brought 
from the ship. For a wheelbarrow I made a thing 
like that in which a laborer carries mortar. 

One day, while I was out in search of game of 
some kind, I discovered what is called in Brazil 
an ironwood tree, because the wood is so strong. 
I took home a piece of it and made it into a shovel. 
As it was not ironbound it did not last long, but 
it was of good service at the time. 

When the work in my cave was finished I set 
up several poles at either side of the entrance. 
Over them I laid a cross-piece, and upon this 
piece I put rafters. The farther end of the rafters 
rested upon a rock. This made for me a nice 
slanting roof, which I covered, last of all, with 
the boughs of trees and leaves. 

It was almost a year before I had finished the 
work of enlarging my cave, and making a roof. 
Although the labor was great, I was glad to do it, 
as now I was well protected when the heavy rains 
fell. Some time after, when I had better tools, 
I dug through the wall of my cave until I had 
made an opening into the plain. This opening 
made a back door for me. 


38 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER VII 

ROBINSON^S CALENDAR 

Although busy in so many ways, I did not 
forget how swiftly time was passing. When I 
had been on the island twelve or thirteen days 
I began to think that I must find some way to 
keep a record of the time, or I should not know 
Sundays from working days, or when the weeks 
filled out a month. 

I had no pens, ink or paper to work with; there 
was only my jackknife. Thinking over what I 
had best do, this plan came to me. Of a square 
post that I had I made a large cross, and set it 
firmly in the groimd on the very spot on which 
I had landed. Upon the cross-piece I dug out 
with my knife these words: 

I Came on Shore Here 

THE 

30th OF Sept., 1659 

On the side of the square post I cut a notch 
each day. Every seventh day I made the notch 


ROBINSON S CALENDAR 


39 


twice as long, to mark off Sundays. I cut a notch 
twice that length again, every first day of the 
month. This, then, was my calendar. For a 
while I kept it fairly well. After that I often 



I BEGAN A LITTLE JOURNAL 


forgot to make the Sunday mark, so that I did 
not know it from working days. And in this way 
I lost track of the weeks that made up the months. 

But a joyful surprise was in store for me. Look- 
ing over a bundle brought from the wreck, I found 
several Bibles, a compass, and some books and 
charts, also pens, ink and paper. At once I began 
a little journal of everything I did each day, 


40 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


hoping that some time my friends might see it. 
You may be sure I was very careful not to waste 
any ink, for I knew I could not get more when it 
was gone. 

The first words that I wrote in my journal were 
these : 

^'Sept. 30, 1659, 1, poor Robinson Crusoe, came 
on shore on this desolate island, which I call the 
Island of Despair. I can hardly hope to see my 
friends again. I alone of the ship^s company 
escaped being drowned, and I am almost dead. ^ ^ 

To strengthen me in my desire to know and be 
thankful for my blessings, I set down in my journal 
the good against the evil. 

EVIL GOOD 

I am cast on a desolate But I am still alive. I am 
island, with but little hope of not starved. I do not perish 
being saved. with cold, as it is warm here. 

I am alone, separated from I, alone, of all the ship’s 
all the world. crew, was saved. 

I have no way to defend But I am cast on an island 
myself. where I see no wild beasts. 

I have no one to speak to, But God in his mercy sent 
or to help me. the ship near enough to the 

shore for me to get out useful 
things. For companionship 
I have Berri and the cats. 

Just this little act of putting down the good 
against the evil made me think that no matter 
how hard my life was, I still had much for which 
to be to be thankful. 


Robinson's lonely life 


41 


CHAPTER VIII 
Robinson's lonely life 

In spite of the words I put down in my journal, 
that I hoped would help me, the thought would 
creep in that I was very far away from my old 
home and friends. My little home was as comfort- 
able as I could make it, and I had clothing and food 
in plenty. When I looked back to the day on which 
I was cast on this coast, I could not but see that 
I had many blessings for which to be thankful. 
But there were days when the tears would come 
into my eyes and rim down my cheeks, and I 
wondered why God had brought me here. 

At such times a good spirit always came and 
whispered in my ear: 'Tt is true that you were 
wrecked on a lonely island, but your life has been 
spared, while all your mates were drowned. The 
God who has saved you can take you back to your 
friends. What if the ship had not been driven 
near the shore? Or if the second storm had come 
before you had got what was needful from the ship; 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


' 42 

then you would have been left on this shore with- 
out food or clothing, and with no means to make 
a shelter for yourself. There is no human being 
to whom you can speak, but, then, neither are 
there wild beasts or savages to hurt or kill you/^ 
Thus the good spirit made me think, and I said 
aloud: '^My dear father’s words have come true* 
Evils have come to me, and there is no one near 
to speak to me, or to help me.” If I talked to 
myself long enough my sad thoughts ended in 
thanksgiving to God for His mercies. 

In time I became more contented with my lot. 
I gave up straining my eyes in hopes of seeing a 
ship, as I had done, day by day, when I first 
came to the island. 


ROBINSON FURNISHES HIS HOME 


43 


CHAPTER IX 

ROBINSON FURNISHES HIS HOME 

I have told you how I enlarged and made ready 
my cave at the back of the tent, as a place in 
which to stow away my things. I now lived much 
better than I expected ever to be able to do when 
I came upon the island. But many things were 
still needed. So I Went to work to make them. 

First of all I made a chair, out of the short 
pieces of board I had brought from the wreck. 
Then a table; it was ugly in shape and roughly 
put together, but I hoped in time to do better. 
I sadly needed shelves on each side of the cave, 
and I next undertook to make them. It was not 
an easy task. First I had to cut down a tree, and, 
standing it upon end, hew it down with an old 
axe until it was the thickness of a plank. Then 
I made it as smooth as I could with an adz that 
I found in the carpenter’s chest. It was slow 
and wasteful work, as it took a whole tree to make 
one plank. But, then, I had a forest of trees to 


44 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 



FIRST OF ALL I MADE A CHAIR 


select from, and all the time I wanted for my work. 
When my shelves were finished I knocked pieces 
of iron into the wall, upon which to hang my 
guns. 

In the next place, I was at a great loss for lights 
at night, as I had no candle. As soon as it was 
dark (which was about seven o’clock) I was obliged 
to go to bed, as there was no pleasure in sitting 
in the dark. I remembered the lumps of wax 
with which I had made candles when in Africa, 
but I had none of that now. 


ROBINSON FURNISHES HIS HOME 


45 


The only remedy I could think of was, when I 
killed a goat for the meat, to save the tallow. 
In a little clay dish, baked in the sun, I placed 
some of this tallow, and with the help of some 
oakum as a wick, I had a very good light. 

There were still two things I needed very badly 
— a wheelbarrow, and some baskets. Had I known 
how to turn a wheel, I could easily have mastered 
the wheelbarrow. As to the baskets, I gave that 
up for a time and carried the old hod, as I had 
nothing I could bend enough to make wickerwork. 

One day, while putting my things in order, I 
discovered a little corn bag, which had held the 
chicken feed on shipboard. I needed an empty 
bag, so I shook the grains of com and dust from 
this one, on the wall under the rock. This 
was just before the great rainfall. About a 
month later, I was surprised to see green blades 
springing up just where I had shaken the bag. 
Ten or twelve days after that, ears of barley, and 
stalks of corn and rice came up. 

I carefully saved the ears of com when they 
became ripe, hoping that I should have a large 
enough crop to make bread. In the right season, 
I again sowed the seed, saving the com as before. 
It was not until the fourth year that I sowed a 
grain of it to eat. 


46 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER X 

THE EARTHQUAKE 

Almost every day I went out into the woods to look 
for game. I often found something new that would 
be of use to me, such as a kind of wild pigeon 
which does not make its nest in a tree, but in the 
holes in the rocks. I took some of the young ones 
home and tamed them, but when they grew 
older they all flew away. The meat of this bird 
was very good. 

I made for myself a few new tools of ironwood. 
When they were finished I spent eighteen days 
in making my cave still wider and deeper, so that 
it might serve for a kitchen, as well as for a place 
in which to store my things away. 

But it seems that I dug too deep. One day a 
quantity of earth fell down from the top and sides. 
I hurried out in great fear, for if I had remained 
inside I should have been buried alive. It cost 
me much labor to make everything safe again, 
as I had the loose earth to carry out and the 


THE EARTHQUAKE 


47 


ceiling to prop up. By working very hard I 
prepared and pitched two posts in one day. They 
not only held up and strengthened the roof, but 
divided my house into rooms. I also covered the 
ceiling with boards. 

Then, to make the wall about my garden more 
secure, I piled a bank of earth two feet thick, and 
quite as high, against the stakes upon the inside. 
Outside I laid against the fence a wall of sods 
two feet thick, up to the very top. It took me 
three months to finish it, and the very day after 
it was done a most terrifying thing happened. 

As I was busy behind my tent, and just in front 
of the entrance to my cave, a quantity of earth 
came tumbling down from the roof of my cave, 
and the edge of the hill over my head. Then two 
of the posts I had set up in the cave cracked in a 
frightful manner. Terrified, I hastened out and 
over the fence. I saw at once that it was an 
earthquake. There was a roar and noise all about 
me, and the ground shook under my feet. The 
wind rose, and the sky was overcast; the clouds 
grew black, and the sea became a mass of foam. 

Much of the island was laid waste by the wind 
storm, which lasted three hours. Then all was 
calm, and rain began to fall. It rained all night 
and the greater part of the next day. 

While the storm lasted, I crouched down upon 
the ground in an agony of fear, I did not know 


48 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


but that the hill would tumble down upon me 
and bury me alive. 

Naturally, I began to think it would not be 
safe for me to live here any longer. I must find 
a better place in which to pitch my tent. The 
next morning when I set about it, and looked at 
^ my tools, it did not seem possible that I could 
do it with tools so dull. The few that I owned 
were notched and blunt with all the clipping I 
had done with them. 

To be sure, I had a grindstone, but I could not 
turn it and hold my tools at the same time. I 
should have to use both hands to hold the tools 
to the wheel. After much thought and many 
trials to see if it would work, I found a way. I 
fastened a string to the wheel so that I was able 
to turn the treadle with my foot and have both 
hands free to hold my work. It took one week 
to complete the grindstone, and two days to get 
my tools sharpened and in order. 


ROBINSON FALLS ILL 


49 


\ 

CHAPTER XI 

ROBINSON FALLS ILL 

Rain fell for several days after the earthquake; 
so that I had to remain in my tent most of the 
time. One evening I felt a chill steal over me, 
followed by a fever. My head ached, and I could 
get no sleep, as my thoughts were strange and 
wild. The fever lasted seven hours, leaving me 
very weak. But, weak as I was, I had to go with 
my gun in search of food, as I had nothing in the 
house to eat but a bit of rice cake. I shot a goat 
and had hard work to get it home and to broil a 
piece of it. The next day I spent in bed, and 
neither ate nor drank. I nearly perished from 
thirst, but I was too sick and weak to stand up, 
or to get any water to drink. 

As I lay upon my bed, so ill and light-headed, 
and not knowing what would become of me, I 
often cried out: ^^Lord, look on me! Have pity, 
Lord !” Completely worn out, I fell asleep and did 
not waken until morning. 


50 


ROBINSON CRUSOB 


In a few days I felt better. I broiled some of 
the goat^s meat, and, for the first time in my life, 
I asked God^s blessing upon my food before tasting 
of it. When my meal was finished I got up and 
went out with my gim, going only a short distance, 
as I felt too weak to walk far. 

I sat down where I could look off upon the sea, 
and these thoughts came to me: ^^Can there be 



I OPENED MY BIPLE 


ROBINSON FALLS ILL 


51 


any doubt that there is a God? Who but God 
could have made the ocean, the sky, the beautiful 
green fields? Nothing occurs without His knowl- 
edge. If then, it is true that He has made all 
things, He must guide and care for every one of 
them. So He knows that I am here, sick and sad.^^ 

Then I thought: ^^Why has God done this to 
me? Why am I thus punished?’’ Something 
seemed to say to me as if in answer: “Think of 
your idle, selfish, ill-spent life, and of your dis- 
obedience, and then ask yourself why you were 
not punished long ago. Why were you not 
drowned with your mates, or killed by the 
Moors?” 

I could make no reply, and, with my mind full 
of these thoughts, I rose, and went slowly back 
to my tent. I did not go to bed, as I felt I could 
not sleep. I sat down in my chair and lighted a 
candle, as it began to be dark. After a while 
I took one of my Bibles from the chest. It was 
many years since I had looked into the Holy Book. 
It seemed as if God were guiding me to it, and 
never had God seemed so near as now. 

I opened my Bible and these words caught my 
eye: “Call upon me in the day of trouble, and 
I will help thee.” The words seemed suited to 
my case. I closed my Bible and fell down upon 
my knees, making the first prayer that I had said 
in years. I asked God to fulfill this promise to 


52 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


me, if I called upon Him. After this I read a 
portion of the Bible each day. 

The rainy season was now over, and I went out 
eachday withmy gun. Tobesure, I went but a short 
distance, but in this way I built up my strength. 


ROBINSON GOES AROUND THE ISLAND 53 


CHAPTER XII 

ROBINSON GOES AROUND THE ISLAND 

Counting up the days on my calendar, I found 
that I had been on the island a year. It had 
taken me all that time to finish my house; but 
now it was safe, strong, and as well fitted out 
for my comfort as I could make it. So I made 
up my mind to see more of my island 
home. 

I started forth, following the streams and creeks 
away up into the woods. After I had gone a few 
miles, the creek that ran by my door became a 
brook, running through meadows fresh and green. 
Above these meadows, I found a great quantity 
of tobacco growing into tall, strong stalks. I 
saw, too, aloe plants and sugar-cane, and other 
plants that I did not know. 

Much pleased with my discoveries, I went back 
to my house, and thought of all I had seen. 
I wondered how I should ever learn the use of the 
various plants and fruits that I had found. 


54 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 



I MADE A BOWER 


The next day I went the same way again, only 
going farther, imtil I came to higher ground, 
partly covered with woods. Here I found the 
most charming spot — a fresh, green meadow with 
a stream rimning through it — where there were 
melons, citron, limes and grapes growing in great 
quantities. The vines ran up and covered the 
trees, and the fruit hung in rich clusters. I 
gathered some of the grapes and hung them in 
the sun to dry. Afterward I did the same every 
season, so that I always had a supply of dried 
fruit, or raisins, which were good to eat when no 
fresh grapes were to be had. 

Night came on. As the weather was mild, I 


ROBINSON GOES AROUND THE ISLAND 55 

did not try to return home, for I wished to go 
farther into the island. I slept in a tree and the 
next morning made a fresh start. I walked about 
four miles to the north, with the hills all about 
me ; then I came to an opening where the island 
seemed to descend to the west. There was a 
spring of fresh water on the hillside; and the valley 
below was so fresh, so green, it looked like a 
planted garden with its citron, lemon, cocoa, and 
orange trees. I gathered some limes and found 
that, by adding water to the juice, I could make 
a delicious drink. 

Knowing that the wet season would soon come, 
I gathered of the grapes, limes and lemons 
many more than I could possibly carry. I piled 
them upon the groimd in heaps, and taking a few 
of each kind with me, traveled homeward. The 
next day I returned, bringing with me two small 
bags, in which to put my harvest of fruit. I was 
greatly surprised to find it dragged about and 
trodden to pieces. By this I knew there were 
wild beasts about. They had done this; but what 
they were I knew not. After this, when I wished 
to gather great quantities of fruit, I himg it up 
in the trees. 

I was more pleased with this beautiful valley 
than I had been on my first visit. I thought 
it would be a nice place to live in, and for some 
time I had the thought constantly in my mind 


56 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


to build a house and move all of my things there. 
But I soon saw that it would not be a wise thing 
to do. I still hoped that some day a ship would 
pass the island, and I might in this way get back 
to England. Here I could not be seen if a ship did 
come. So instead of a house I m.ade a bower, 



I MADE MANY BASKETS 


with a strong hedge of young willow trees all 
about it for a fence. This hedge I made as high 
as I could reach, and staked it well between with 
brushwood. I left no opening or gateway, but 
used a ladder to go in and out, as at my other 
home. 

I planted vines, which grew fast, and soon 
covered my bower. I not only came here often, 
but I remained two or three days at a time in 


ROBINSON GOES AROUND THE ISLAND 57 

this beautiful spot, surrounded by lofty trees, 
fruits and flowers. Thus I had my seaside house 
and my country home to go to. 

To fill in the time when it was too rainy to be 
out, I spent several hours each day trying to 
make baskets. I needed them in so many ways 
— to gather fruit in, for instance, or to store away 
my grains in when gathered. I tried in many 
ways to make them. When I was a boy I used 
to take great delight in watching some basket 
weavers at work in their shop, in the town where 
my father lived, and this helped me now. It soon 
came to me how it was done. I needed only the 
right kind of twigs and rods. One day I thought 
of the willow hedge that grew about my bower. 
So I set off at once for my country home, and cut 
a great many willow twigs, and set them to dry. 
I found that I could use them nicely. Now I 
had employment for rainy weather, and I made 
many baskets, which were very useful in carrying 
things. I took care, too, never to be without 
fresh ones. 




58 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XIII 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND 

As I had traveled by the streams and brooks 
to where my bower was built, I now felt that I 
must go across to the seashore on the other side of 
the island. Taking my gxm, hatchet, and more 
powder than usual, I started. I did not forget 
to fill my pouch with raisins, and to take some 
biscuit. 

When I walked beyond the valley where my 
bower stood, I came within view of the sea 
toward the west. It was a clear day and as I 
looked off across the water, I could see the out- 
lines of some land. Whether it was an island . 
or a continent, I could not make out at this | 
distance. It seemed to be fifty or sixty miles 
away. I was still more puzzled to know in what 
part of the world this land could be. I could not 
tell, unless it might be a part of South America. 

I found this side of the island, where I now 
was, much more pleasant than my own. The 


THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND 


59 


fresh green fields gave to me the fragrance of 
thousands of lovely flowers; and there were fine 
woods with grand old trees. I found, also, many 



AT LAST IT SAID MY NAME 


kinds of birds, among them some parrots. After 
much trouble I caught a yoimg parrot which I 
took home with me. It was a long time before 


60 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


I could teach it to speak, but at last it said my 
name. 

I saw in this journey many hares and goats. 
Also there were turtles, of which I had found but 
three, in a year and a half, on my side of the 
island. 

In this journey I never traveled over two 
miles straight ahead, but wandered about to see 
what I could find. When I had walked along 
the seashore what I thought to be twelve miles, I 
set up a post as a landmark. The beach here was 
covered with sea birds, some kinds of which I had 
never seen before. 

At last, starting for home, I lost my way. I 
had taken another path, thinking I could keep 
all of the island so much in view that I could not 
miss my first dwelling, but I foimd myself mis- 
taken. After going two or three miles, I came 
into a valley with hills on every side of it. I 
could not see which was my way, and I wandered 
about for four days, before I again came to the 
post from which I had started. I then easily 
foimd my way by the old path. 

On this journey my dog surprised a kid, which 
he would have killed at once, if I had not caught 
and saved it. I carried it to my bower, not far 
away, where I left it. Then I went back to my 
castle, as I now called my seaside home. 

I busied myself in making a cage for Poll, who 


TEH OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND 


61 


now seemed to be less afraid of me. She some- 
times noticed what I did and came and sat upon 
my shoulder as I sat at my work. 

All at once I thought of the young kid, shut up 
in the circle about my bower. Going to bring it 
home, I found the poor thing nearly dead, as it 
could not get out. After I had nursed and fed 
it, it followed me home like a dog, and from that 
time was a member of my family. 

Later on I caught several more goats, so I fenced 
in a place for them. Soon my flock numbered 
twenty or thirty. So I had plenty of fresh meat, 
and milk to drink when I wished it. 


ROBINSON CRUSOB 


02 


CHAPTER XIV 

GROWING CORN FOR BREAD 

When I first made my garden I did not know 
that there were two seasons in this part of the 
world — a rainy and a dry one. In March and 
April, and again in September and October, rain 
fell; the other months were dry and warm. So 
the first year I planted my grain too late. The 
second year dry weather spoiled it. But the 
third year I had a good crop. I was much pleased, 
and said: ^^Now I shall have a fine gar- 
den.” 

But I soon found I was in danger of losing 
all, as first the goats and then the hares — tasting 
the sweetness of the blade, ate it so close that 
it could not shoot up into a stalk. I saw no 
remedy for this but to enclose the garden with 
a hedge. This I did with a great deal of toil. 
Even then my crops were not secure, so I set my 
dog to guard them at night. The com grew strong 
and tall, and began to ripen. 


GROWING CORN FOR BREAD 


63 


One day, when it was nearly time to cut it, I 
saw a few birds flying about in my garden. 
Having my gun with me, I shot at them. From 
the edges of the willow trees, and from the woods 
near at hand, flocks of wild birds came wheeling 



in great circles, with a shining flutter of wings 
and shrill cries of surprise. I saw by this that 
I should lose my crops and starve if I did not do 
something at once. 

Going to one side, into the shadow of some trees, 
I watched and waited. Presently I saw the 


64 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


thieves return and sit upon the branches of the 
trees, as if waiting for me to go away. Reloading 
my gim, I let fly at them, shooting and killing 
three. These I hung in the trees, to frighten the 
others away. No birds came as long as the dead 
ones hung there. 

To gather in my crops was much more work 
than one would think. As I had no plough, I 
had to turn the earth with my ironwood shovel. 
For a rake I used the bough of a tree. It also 
served me for a harrow, as I dragged it over the 
ground after the seed had been sowed. When 
the corn was ripe I cut off each ear separately 
with an old sword. Filling a basket with it, I 
carried it to my home, where I rubbed the com 
between my hands to get it from the ears. 

My greatest trouble was to And a way of grind- 
ing corn. I had no mill, nor tools to cut or make 
one, even if I had understood a stone-cutter^s work. 
At last it came to me what I could do. I got a 
great block of hard wood and made it into a 
mortar. The way I did it was this: I burned 
a hollow place in it, just as I had seen the 
Indians in Brazil do, when making their canoes. 
The outside of the mortar I rounded and formed 
with my axe and hatchet. Putting some corn 
into the hollow place, I pounded it with a pestle 
made of ironwood, and soon had meal. 


MAKING POTS AND JARS AND BAKING BREAD 65 


CHAPTER XV 

MAKING POTS AND JARS AND BAKING BREAD 

But my meal must be sifted, and I was at a 
loss as to how to make a sieve. At last I remem- 
bered that in one of the seamen^s chests there were 
pieces of calico and muslin which the sailors had 
used as ties. Bringing some of the muslin from 
the chest, I tore it into several pieces, and, tossing 
some of the meal into it, I shook it up and found 
that it worked well as a sieve. 

How to make an oven I did not know, and I lay 
awake many nights thinking it over and trying 
to form some plan. I must have a better oven 
in which to cook my food and to bake bread. 

About a mile from my home was a bed of clay, 
which could well be used to make tiles and dishes. 
I resolved that I would try it. It took a great 
while to dig the clay and to knead it into dough. 
This done, I shaped it into vessels as well as I 
could. I made them about two feet square and 
nine inches deep. I also made tiles. 


66 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


The first vessels I made were ugly and ill- 
shaped, and it was some time before I could mould 
the clay to please myself. Then, too, I found 
they were so frail that they could not bear their 



THE FIRST VESSELS WERE ILL-SHAPED 


own weight, and cracked when placed in the 
sun’s rays. It took many days and much 
patience, but at last I made a vessel that could 
bear being placed in the sun, and held rice and 
grains quite well. 


MAKING POTS AND JARS AND BAKING BREAD 67 

What I wanted, however, was something that 
could bear the heat of an oven in cooking. Some 
time after I had made my first pots and jars, I 
biiilt a hot fire to roast some meat. When I 
went to put the fire out I found in the ashes a 
piece of one of my vessels. It was burned as red 
as a tile, and as hard as a stone. I was greatly 
surprised, and said to myself: ^This bit of clay 
was hardened and made red by being in a hot 
fire, and then slowly cooled off. Why not burn 
whole jars and pans, and make them hard like 
this piece?^^ 

At once I went to work, and made pots, jars 
and tiles. I placed them, one upon another, 
right on a bed of embers. Then I built a fire, 
above and on each side of them, which I kept up 
until the vessels inside were red hot. I left them 
thus five or six hours. When I returned to look 
at them, I found that the intense heat had melted 
one; so I decided that I would sit up all that 
night in order to w’atch my fire. I let it go out, 
little by little. In the morning my jars and pots 
were hard, and burned as red as one could wish for. 
One was nicely glazed from the sand running into 
the clay. 

To my great joy, I found I now had vessels in 
which I could broil or roast meat, and make soup. 
And I afterward made all the vessels and dishes 
I wished for, so that I could always have fresh 


68 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


ones. When I wanted to do a baking, I built a 
great fire upon my hearth, which I had made of 
tiles. When the wood was burned down to embers, 
I drew these live coals forward so as to cover the 
entire hearth, and let them lie thus, imtil the 
hearth was red hot. Then I placed the loaves 
upon the tiles and covered them with pans, not 
only to keep in the heat, but to add to it. Lastly 
I drew my fire around my ovens, or pans. And 
thus, as in the best oven in the world, I baked 
my barley loaves. In time I learned to cook 
goat’s flesh in various ways, and to make puddings 
and cakes of rice. 


ROBINSON'S FIRST .Bx)AT 


69 




CHAPTER XVI 
Robinson's first boat 

In the times when I rested from work, and 
visited my bower, I thought of the land that I 
had seen at a distance, when I was at the far north 
end of my island. And I wished that I could get 
there, as I hoped in this way to find some means 
through which to reach England. 

But how was I to do it? Now, indeed, I wished 
for my boy Xury; and for the long-boat with the 
leg-of-mutton sail, in which I had sailed over a 
thousand miles along the coast of Africa. I 
thought possibly I could use the ship's boat, 
which lay far in shore upon the sand, where it had 
been driven by the storm which cast me on this 
coast. So I went to look at it. 

It lay almost in the same spot, but with its keel 
to the sky. I dug up the sand all about it, hoping 
I should set it free, but in vain. Then I went 
to the woods and cut levers and rollers. I 
thought that with them I could turn it over, and 


70 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


then easily repair the damages it had received, 
and have a good boat. I spared no pains. 
Indeed, I think I spent three or four weeks in 
working about and upon it, but it was of no avail. 
I could not stir it, with the use of all my strength. 
So at last I gave it up. 

Each day my desire to reach the mainland 
grew stronger. As I have said before, there was a 
possibility that there might be people living there 
through whom I could find a way of going to 
Europe. If that could not be, at least there 
would be companionship for me — ^some one to 
whom I could speak. I could think of but one 
way in which to carry this out, and that was to 
make a boat from a tree. 

I started forth in search of one, and soon fixed 
upon a cedar tree and began to cut it down. To 
do this took me twenty days, as I had fewer tools 
than an Indian would possess. The tree was 
twenty-two feet long; the trunk measured six 
feet across. I spent a month in hewing, clipping 
and shaping it into a canoe. Then three more 
months were taken up in clearing it of bark, and 
finishing it off into the good boat it proved to be. 
When done it was large enought to carry twenty-six 
men. 

In my desire to make the boat large enough 
to carry a good supply of food and fire-arms, and 
strong enough to be seaworthy, I had not thought 



71 


IT WAS LARGE ENOUGH TO CARRY TWENTY-SIX MEN 






72 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


of the difficulty I might have in laimching it. 
It lay upon a piece of rising ground about one 
hundred feet from the water. When I tried to 
get it into the water, all of my devices failed. 
It was so big and heavy that I could not stir it. 
I now saw the foolishness of beginning work 
unless one is sure of being able to finish it. 

But I could not give up the idea of having a 
boat I could use. So I cut down a smaller tree 
and made one light enough to be moved easily. 
It was quite complete when I was done with it. 
It had a deck at each end to keep off the spray, a 
bin for my food, and a rest for my gun. I dug 
a canal from where it lay to the creek, and then 
easily launched it into the water. 

My boat was now afloat on the sea, but it was 
not strong enough to breast the waves on a long 
voyage. So I gave up all hope of sailing to the 
land I had seen from the hilltops. Instead, I 
used my canoe in making little trips along the 
coast. I fitted it up with mast and sails, so it 
was of some use to me after all. 

I called the island my kingdom, and myself 
the Idng — if I had as subjects only a dog, two 
cats, and some kids. 

Once, as I returned from a pleasure trip to a 
new and far part of the island, where I nearly lost 
my life by sailing out too far, I happened to 
bring my boat ashore near my bower or s umm er 


ROBINSON^S FIRST BOAT 


73 


home. I walked across the fields, and getting 
over the fence, lay down in the shade of some trees 
to rest. I was very weary, and soon fell asleep. 

You can little imagine how startled and sur- 
prised I was to be awakened by a voice crying 
out: Robinson Crusoe! Robinson Crusoe!^' 

Then the same voice said : Where have you been? 
How came you here? ” I started up in great fear, 
and looked about me. I could not think, just 
for a moment, who it could be. Then I saw that 
it was my pretty Poll, sitting upon one of the 
willow trees, and shaking her head at me. 

It was indeed Poll, who had but said the words 
I had taught her. When I was at home she 
would often come to me, and, sitting on my hand, 
with her bill close to my face, would listen as I 
spoke to her, or else say to me: Where have 
you been, Robinson Crusoe? 

I thought that I had left her safely at home in 
my castle. How she came to my bower, I never 
could tell. You may be sure we were very glad 
to see each other. I carried her safely home, as 
she was the only talking companion I had ^or 
years. It was about this time I ended my fourth 
year upon the island. 


74 


ROBINSON CRUSOR 


CHAPTER XVII 
ROBINSON Crusoe’s dress 

My clothes were now nearly worn out, and 
were in some places threadbare. As to linen, I 
had none, with the exception of some shirts I 
found in one of the chests. I must think about 
making what I needed. Searching in my things, 
I found two great watch-coats, which I decided 
to make into jackets. I had nothing to put with 
them but the skins of goats, which I always 
saved and hung up in the sun to dry. Now I 
found a use for them. I made a coat and leggings , 
and a cap with the fur side out, and a flap that 
hung down to keep the sun and rain from my 
neck. 

Dressed in these clothes, I am sure I should 
have made a droll flgure in the streets of the town 
where I was bom. The skirts of my coat came 
down to my hips. My short breeches or trousers 
were open at the knee for coolness, as the weather 
was often warm. I wore no shoes, but pieces of 


ROBINSON CRUSOE^S DRESS 


75 


the fur wound around my feet and legs. I had 
a broad fur belt around my waist. From it, on 
my right side, hung my sword and axe, and 



I MADE A COAT AND LEGGINGS 


on my left side a pouch for powder. I always 
carried a basket on my back and a gun over my 
shoulder. 

I must not forget to tell you of my umbrella, 
of which I was justly very proud. It was a long 
time before I succeeded in making one that would 
open and shut, and I spoiled many before I got 
one that I could use, or that suited me in every 
way. 


76 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


Whenever I went out, I carried my goatskin 
umbrella under my arm, for when I did not need 
it to protect me from the rain, it shaded me from 
the heat of the sun. 


ROBINSON^S HOME LIFE 


77 


CHAPTER XVIII 

ROBINSON^S HOME LIFE 

It would now seem as if I had had everything given 
to me but a friend to speak to. That, I was be- 
ginning to lose hope of ever having again. I was 
prince of the whole island, and had the lives of 
all my subjects under my control. Then, how 
like a king I dined ! When I sat down to a meal. 
Poll, who was my favorite, was the only one that 
I allowed to speak to me. My dog sat at my 
right hand, and the cats on stools, one on each 
side of me, gazing up into my face, as if to ask a 
bit from my hand. 

We must have been a funny sight — I and my 
little family — as we sat at our dinner. I never 
failed to give each animal in turn some food from 
my hand, as a mark of special favor. For my 
meals I had soup or roasted goat’s flesh, when I 
wished for it, good bread, cheese and butter. I 
had learned after many trials to make them all. 
For dessert there was fruit that was good and 


78 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


pleasant to eat, or pudding made of rice and raisins. 
In this wilderness, where one might expect to 
starve, what a table was daily spread before me! 
So I never began to eat without thanking God 
or his mercy and goodness to me. For had If 
not food in plenty, and the knowledge given to 



WE MUST HAVE BEEN A FUNNY SIGHT 


ROBINSON'S HOME LIFE 79 

me how to get and make use of it? Then, too, 
I had clothes and shelter, and no destroying ill- 
ness or pain. 

I was much better off than I had expected ever 
to be, when cast ashore from the wreck. At that 
time, I could have lain down and died of loneliness, 
hunger and despair. But coming to think of the 
blessings each day brought, I grew happier and 
more contented. I took pleasure in the things 
that I had, and did not let myself be unhappy 
over what had been taken from me. How true 
it is, that many people do not enjoy what God 
has given them, but are always wishing for things 
that are denied them! If they only thought 
rightly about it, they would find that they did 
not need them all. 


80 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XIX 

A FOOT-PRINT OS THE SAND 

I lived happily in my island home for eleven 
years, without anything wonderful happening to 
me. I had two farms to care for. One was within 
the wall where I had built my castle. This was 
my com land, where, in the right season, I sowed 
and reaped my crops. The other was at my 
comitry home, where I often spent days 
together. It was here I raised and dried 
grapes for my winter store of raisins. It was 
also halfway between my castle and where 
I laid up my boat. Whenever I went for a 
sail, I visited my bower, and here I had made a 
park in which to keep my goats. 

Wlien the wet weather kept me within doors 
I kept busy weaving baskets, and soon did better. 
I made them for various uses — deep ones in which 
to carry or store away com, and more shallow 
ones for fruit, or in which to put a goat when I 
killed one abroad. I improved, too, in my earth- 


A FOOT-PRINT ON THE SAND 81 

enware. I found I could round and shape the 
pieces better with my wheel. 

I tliink I was never more proud or joyful over 
anything I found out than I was when I baked 
from clay a tobacco pipe. It was very ugly to 
look at, and burnt red like earthenware. Still, 
if it was ugly, it could draw smoke, and proved 
to be a comfort. 

In time I felt that the park I had made for my 
goats was too large, and that they would run as 
wild as when they had the freedom of the valley. 
So I made the park smaller, screening it from the 
sun by a hedge of willow trees, which it took me 
three months to plant. My only anxiety now was 
that my powder and shot were pretty well 
used up. I did not know what was to be done when 
none was to be had, and I needed to shoot game. 

I had grown quite content with my quiet, un- 
eventful life, when a most frightful thing occurred, 
which I will now tell you about. It happened 
one day about noon. I was going for my boat, 
when I was exceedingly startled and surprised to 
see the print of a man^s foot, plainly marked out on 
the sand. For a few moments I was spellbound, 
and imable to stir from where I stood. If I had 
seen a ghost, I could not have been more terrified. 
When at last I gained sufficient courage to look 
up and about me, I did not see anyone. I lis- 
tened, but did not hear anything. 


82 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


Then I went to the top of the hill not far away, 
and gazed about me on every side; still I saw no 
one. Could it be possible I had imagined that 
I had seen the foot-print? I ran hastily back to 
the spot, to see if it were so. But no, there it was, 
the print of a man^s foot, heel, toes — all the parts 
of a foot. 

As I looked at the marks, I said to myself: 
‘‘How could a man come to this shore and I not 
know it? Then, too, where is the boat or canoe 
in which he came?^’ I could not think how, so 
I hurried home, looking back every few steps as 
I ran, to see if anyone followed me. And every 
stump or tree, as I saw it in the distance, 
seemed in my imagination to be a man. I never 
quite knew afterward whether, when I reached 
my home, I entered by the door or went in by the 
ladder. 

I had no sleep that night; and, as I thought of 
the foot-print, I wondered if some savages could 
have come from the mainland in canoes. If so, 
I hoped they had not seen my boat, for I felt sure 
they would return and go over the whole island 
to find its owner. They might come again, and 
the fear hung over me that even if they did not dis- 
cover me, they would destroy my crops and pull 
to pieces my goat park; in fact, rob me of my home. 

How strange is man^s nature! Today we love 
what tomorrow we hate. Today we long for the 


A FOOT-PRINT ON THE SAND 83 

very thing which tomorrow we dread. My only 
grief, all the years I had been on the island, was 
the fact that I was cut off from human compan- 






ionship. And I often thought God could give me 
no richer blessing than to let me see one of my 
own kind to whom I could speak. Why, then, 


84 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


should the print of a man's foot on the sand make 
me tremble all over, and sink to the earth with 
fear? 

For three days and three nights I kept closely 
within doors, always thinking of savages, and of 
the danger in which I stood. On the morning of 
the fourth day, as I read from my Bible, the first 
words I saw were these: ^^Wait on the Lord, be 
of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine 
heart. It is impossible to tell the comfort these 
words gave me, and how they helped me to be 
brave. I now had courage to go forth, which I 
was glad to do, as I had no food except a few 
barley cakes. Then, too, my goats needed care, 
and to be milked. 

On the way to my country house, I often looked 
back to see if I were being followed. After I had 
gone to my bower for several days and no harm 
had come to me, in going or returning, I grew 
less timid. But I never quite forgot about the 
foot-print on the sand. And so it came into my 
thoughts, what if it should be the print of my 
own foot? I wondered greatly that I had not 
thought of this before. Rimning down to the 
beach, I placed my foot carefully in the mark and 
measured it in every way possible, only to find 
that it was the print of a foot much larger than 
mine. Do you wonder that at this discovery I 
hurried home, filled with fresh fear? I was con- 


A FOOT-PRINT ON THE SAND 


85 


fident that if the savages had been on the island 
they would come again some day. 

It was about this time that my good dog Berri 
fell dead at my feet. He was very old and worn out, 
but in his death I lost my guard and very faithful 
friend. Now I had only Poll and the cats as com- 
panions. 


86 


EOBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XX 

ROBINSON GUARDS HIS FLOCK 

I was most faithful in the care of my herd of 
goats, as they not only supphed me with food, 
but saved me powder and strength to hunt the 
wild ones. If I should lose them through the 
savages, it would indeed be a serious loss, as I 
should then have no milk, cheese or butter. To 
insure their safety, I made this plan — to fence in 
several small parks, and then put a few, say six 
goats, in each park. Then, if anything happened 
to the flock in the bower park, I should have some 
left. 

I searched through the woods on my side of 
the island, and found, here and there, some bits 
of fresh green meadow land that would answer. 
In making my choice I took care that the parks 
should be some distance apart. I fenced in each 
plot, and put a few of the best young goats in 
each. I then felt that my stock was as safe as 
I could make it. 


ROBINSON GUARDS HIS FLOCK 87 

I now regretted that I had made a door leading 
from my cave to the outside of the enclosure. 
Twelve years before, I had planted a double row 
of trees, in a big half-circle about my home, at 
some distance from my fence. These trees had 
grown strong and thick, and I had only to drive a 
few stakes between them in order to make a new 
fence, outside of the old one. I strengthened the 
new fence with pieces of cable and timber. And 
to make it stronger still, I banked it up on the 
inside with dirt until it was ten feet thick, digging 
the earth at the back of my tent, and then carry- 
ing it through the tent in baskets. Into this wall 
I bored holes in which to place guns, first fitting 
them into frames I had made for them. The guns 
were so arranged that I could fire all seven in 
two minutes. This, then, was to be my fort. When 
it was done, I felt very proud of it. 

I planted a grove of young trees near it. In 
two or three years they had grown thick and 
strong. Spreading out in all directions, they hid 
my little home from view. As there was no path- 
way through the grove, no gateway or door in 
the wall, I used my ladders in going back and 
forth. One helped me over the rocks to the outer 
wall; the second from the wall into my garden 
When the ladders were within, a stranger could 
not have entered, without my knowing it. 


ROBINSON CRBSOE 


8S 


CHAPTER XXI 

A SICKENING SIGHT 

Two years after I had seen the foot-print on 
the sand, I started one day for a walk on the 
shore. I had strolled farther toward the western 
point of the island than I had ever walked before, 
and I had gone to the top of a hill that commanded 
a fine view of the sea. When I saw an object, 
far out upon the water, I gazed at it for some 
time, quite unable to make out what it really 
was. Finally I decided that it must be a boat, 
and came down from the hill to the shore, to get 
a nearer view of it. 

There I saw a sickening sight. The bones and 
skulls of men lay scattered about on the sand. 
I grew sick at heart, and nearly fell down in a 
dead faint. When I came to myself a little, I 
saw marks of a fire, and that a round place had 
been dug out, as if people had been sitting in a 
circle at a feast. This made me feel quite sure 
that savages sometimes came to the island. 


A SICKENING SIGHT 


89 


But as they did not go farther in shore, and 
seemed to remain but a short time, I was not 
quite so frightened as when I had seen the foot- 
print. However, it was bad enough. I hurried 
home, and seldom went out except when I cared 
for and milked my goats. 

I kept very quiet for two years, taking care to 
do nothing they could hear. I did not drive a 
nail, or chop a stick of wood, much less would I 
fire a gim. My bread and meat I baked at night, 
when the smoke could not be seen. After a time 
I found a way of making charcoal, by burning 
wood with turf upon the top, until the wood 
turned into charcoal. This charcoal burned well, 
and could be used in the day-time, as it made no 
smoke. 

I made a daily tour to the top of the hill. I 
always took with me a glass I had discovered in 
one of the seamen^s chests, and with which I could 
see to a great disjbance. I would sit for hours on 
the watch, to see if any savages brought up to 
the shore, but none ever came. After doing this 
for three months, I gradually gave it up. 

I did not forget to make safe and secure my 
boat. I had left it in a creek on the west side of 
the island, not far from my bower. I now pad- 
died it to the far east end of the island, and ran 
it into a cove, where it would be hidden by the 
rocks. This done, I seldom ventured far from home. 


90 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XXII 

THE BEAUTIFUL CAVE 

Little by little my courage grew, so that I risked 
going farther from home. One day I was busy 
gathering sticks and branches to make charcoal. 
As I pushed aside a branch of low brushwood, 
I saw a hollow place. I went nearer to see what 
it could be, and to my surprise I discovered it 
was a cave. I entered, and found it was high 
enough for me to stand up in. But I came out 
much faster than I had gone in, for as I looked 
into the cave, which was perfectly dark, I saw 
two shining eyes like twinkling stars. 

I made up my mind that I would not go away 
without finding out to whom those eyes belonged. 
I took a torch made from the branch of a tree, and 
set fire to it. Then I rushed in with it, holding it 
up a little over my head. I had gone but two or 
three steps, when I was almost as much frightened 
as before; for I heard a loud cry, as from a man 
in pain. This was followed by a broken, mumbling 


THE BEAUTIFUL CAVE 9l 

sound, as of words half spoken; then there was 
a deep sigh. I stepped back in great surprise 
and alarm, and broke out into a cold sweat. 

My courage returned after a while, and I entered 
again, taking with me the thought that God is 
everywhere and ready to help us. By the light 
from my torch, I found that what had frightened 
me so much at first was a large goat. He lay 
upon the groimd breathing hard, and dying of old 
age. I stirred him a little to see if I could got 
him out, and he tried to sit up, but was not able. 
So I left him where he was, to die. And I thought 
if any of the savages came to the cave, while he 
was still alive, he would frighten them as much as 
he had frightened me. 

Then I began to look about me. The cave was 
small. At the farther end there was an opening, 
but when I tried to enter I foimd I could not go 
through, except on my hands and knees. This 
I did not like to attempt with only a torch to 
light the way. However, the next day, I came 
again with candles, as I now made good ones from 
goat^s lard. 

Creeping into the passage, I crawled on my 
hands and knees for about ten yards. I found 
myself in a cave twenty feet high. When I stood 
up, and the light from the two candles fell upon 
the roof and sides of this cave, it looked as if 
thousands of lights were about me, bright as 


02 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


glittering stars on a frosty night. I had never 
seen so glorious a sight. What there could be in 
the rocks to make all this splendor I could not 
tell. I only knew that the roof seemed like a 
mass of gold and precious stones. 

The floor of the cave was level and dry. The 
walls were free from dampness. I was delighted 
to find it. It would be a safe place to bring the 
things I was most anxious about, and certainly 
I could be secure here from the savages, should 
they return and find out my two houses. 

The old goat died that day, and I dug a deep 
hole and buried him. Then I brought to the cave 
two fowling pieces and three guns, with powder 
and shot for all. I felt that I was now stronger 
against danger from every point. I still had five 
guns at my castle, and each day carried one with 
me. 


i 


THE DANCE OP THE SAVAGES 


93 


CHAPTER XXIII 

THE DANCE OF THE SAVAGES 

I enjoyed my beautiful cave, and had grown used 
to my quiet life. I should have been content to 
remain on the island all my life, if I had been sure 
no savages would come to disturb me. Though 
all alone, I made my time pass pleasantly when 
not at work. There was pretty Poll to talk to 
in the evenings. I had, besides, two young par- 
rots which could talk pretty well, but not like 
Poll; for I had taken more pains in teaching her 
than the others. I always kept two or three 
kids for pets, which I taught to eat out of my 
hand. And I had some interesting sea birds, the 
names of which I did not know. And so I should 
have been quite happy if it had not been for the 
fear of the savages. 

It was now December, and I had been in this 
place twenty-three years. One morning, going to 
the cornfield before it was daylight, I was alarmed 
to see a red light, as if from some fire on the shore. 


94 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


As nearly as I could decide, it was about two 
miles away. To my great terror, it was on my 
side of the island. I hastened home, feeling that 
all peace of mind was now gone for me; for if 
savages were rambling over the island, and should 



NINE SAVAGES SEATED IN A CIRCLE 


see my growing com, they would leave no stone 
imtumed to find me. 

I entered my garden by the ladders, which I 
pulled up after me, but before doing so, I made 
everything outside of the garden fence look as 
wild and natural as I could make it. Then going 
into the fort, I loaded my guns. This done, I 


THE DANCE OF THE SAVAGES 95 

sat down to think over what I had best do, and 
remained thus for several hours. But I could not 
sit any longer without knowing the cause of the 
fire. So I got up, took my glass and went out to 
the hilltop. There I lay down with my face close 
to the ground and, looked off toward the shore. 

Then, to my great horror, I saw, for the first 
time, nine savages seated in a circle around a 
fire on the sand. It was not to warm themselves. 
That they did not need, as the weather was mild. 
I suppose it was to cook their meal of man’s 
flesh. I could not tell whether their victims were 
dead or alive. But I saw that they had^two ca- 
noes, which they had pulled upon the shore. Very 
soon they joined in a dance about the fire, and 
then they sat down again as if awaiting the going 
out of the tide. 

When I had seen them drag their canoes back 
into the water, and row or paddle away, I placed 
two guns upon my shoulders and two pistols in 
my belt. Then I went with all the speed I could 
to the hill near which I had first seen bones scat- 
tered on the sand. When I reached the hill, I saw 
there had been three more canoes of savages, as 
they were now five altogether at sea, making for 
the mainland. 

I now made very large promises to myself that 
I would fire at any savages who should come again 
to this shore, and kill all I could. Or I would dig 


96 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


a hole under the place where they made their 
fire, and into this hole put five or six pounds of 
gunpowder, so that it would explode when they 
next built a fire. But would that be right? They 
had done me no harm. And it was possible they 
did not know they were doing wrong. 


A SHIP CAST ON THE BOCKS 


97 


CHAPTER XXIV 

A SHIP CAST ON THE ROCKS 

About two years after I had seen the savages 
there was a fearful storm of wind and rain. I 
think that by my wooden calendar it was near the 
middle of May. The wind blew furiously for a 
day and a night, so that I had to keep closely 
indoors. 

That evening, as I sat reading my Bible, I was 
surprised by the noise of a gun. At least I thought 
I heard one fired, and that the soimd came from 
the sea. I felt sure that if this were true, it was 
a signal from a ship in distress. I hastened out 
and ran to the top of the hill, and just then I 
heard another gun. 

I gathered together a great heap of brushwood 
and set it on fire, so that if indeed it proved to be 
a ship those on board would 'know there was some 
one near who wished to help them. I think the 
people on the ship saw my fire, for as soon as my 
heap blazed up, I heard two more gims fired. 


98 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 



HER STERN WAS TORN TO PIECES 

Then I piled on enough wood to keep it burning 
brightly all night. 

As soon as day broke, I went to the hill which 
overlooked the south end of the island and the 
sea. Then I saw that in the storm of the night 
before a ship had been wrecked on the south side 
of the island, on some rocks. Although I had my 
glass with me, I could not tell, at this distance, 
if any person was on board. I did not know if 
any had been saved. It looked to me as if only 


A SHIP CAST ON THE ROCKS 99 

a sail and hull were left. Later in the day, when 
the atmosphere cleared, I saw to my great distress 
that it was indeed the wreck of a ship. 

I cannot tell you how I wished that even one 
person had been saved. Again and again, that 
day, I went to the hill and looked off toward the 
wreck, and I cried aloud many times: ^^Oh! that 
there had been one soul saved from this ship, that 
I might have a companion to speak to me!^’ In 
all the years of my lonely life on the island I had 
never had so strong a desire to have some human 
being near me as now. It was not until the last 
year of my life on the island that I knew whether 
or not any had been saved from this ship. 

^'Now,’’ thought I, “is the time to rejoice that 
I have a boat which can take me safely to the 
wreck. I may find some things there that will 
be of use to me.’^ So I hastened back to my 
castle to make ready. I carried down and placed 
in the boat some nun, a jug of milk, dried grapes, 
cheese and goat^s flesh. Then I pushed out to 
sea, and rowed or paddled the canoe close to the 
shore, until I came to the northeast end of the 
island. Here I foimd the sea so rough that I did 
not think it safe to go far from land, so I ran my 
boat into a little cove. Here I remained all night, 
sleeping in my canoe, wrapped in a great watch- 
coat. 

At dawn of day I set out again. The sea was 


100 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


calm and I could go with the tide. In less than 
two hours I had reached the wreck. It was sad 
to see the ship, which was stuck between two 
great rocks. Her stem was tom to pieces by the 
force of the waves; her masts were broken off, and 
the deck was strewed with ropes and chains. I 
guessed the vessel to have been Spanish. 

When I came close to her, a dog jumped, yelping, 
into the sea, and swam up to me. I took him into 
my boat and found he was nearly dead from 
hunger and thirst. I gave him a cake of bread, 
which he ate like a ravenous wolf. I then gave 
him water. He lapped it up so eagerly that he 
certainly would have burst if I had let him take 
all he wanted. 

After this I went on board. In the cook^s 
room there were two men dead, clasped close in 
each other^s arms. Aside from the dog there 
was no live creature on the ship. Most of the 
things had been spoiled by water. I took two 
of the seamen’s chests, without looking to see what 
they contained. And I brought away a powder 
horn, a shovel, two little brass kettles, a coffee 
pot and a gridiron. With this cargo I started, 
not forgetting to take the dog, too. In one hour’s 
time I reached the shore. That night I slept in 
my canoe. In the morning I got my cargo on 
land and took it to my new cave, as that seemed 
the safest place for it. 


A SHIP CAST ON THE ROCKS 


101 


When I came to open the chests, I found several 
things of great value to me. There were some 
good linen shirts, handkerchiefs and colored 
ties. In the till of one of the chests I found three 
great bags of gold, and inside of one of them, 
wrapped in a paper, some small bars of gold. In 
the other chest were some shoes which were very 
welcome, as I had had none on my feet for years. 
As to the gold, I could not use it, and would have 
given it all for two or three pairs of stockings, of 
which I had none. However, I did lug the gold 
into a corner of the cave, to keep it in hiding, 
just as I had done with the gold I brought from 
our own ship. Having stored all my things, I 
went to my boat and paddled her along the shore 
to her old harbor in the creek. When I reached 
my castle I found everything as I had left it. 


102 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XXV 

ROBINSON^S DREAM 

One night, not very long after the wreck of the 
Spanish ship, I had a strange dream. I dreamed 
that, as I was going out from my castle one morn- 
ing, I saw two canoes near the shore, and eleven 
savages coming to land. They brought with them 
another savage, whom they were going to kill, in 
order to eat him. On a sudden, the savage whom 
they were going to kill jumped away and ran for 
his life. Then I thought, in my sleep, that he 
came nmning into the thick grove before my fort, 
to hide himself. Seeing him alone — for in my 
dream the other savages did not follow him that 
way — I showed myself to him, smiling upon him 
and encouraging him. 

Then he kneeled down to me, and seemed to 
pray to me to help him. I took him to my home, 
showed him my ladder, and taught him how to 
go into my castle, and he became my servant. 
Then I dreamed that I said to myself: ‘^Now I 


ROBINSON'S DREAM 


103 


may venture to the mainland, for this fellow will 
serve me as a pilot, and I will tell him what to 
do. I will ask him, also, about the people of this 
country, and if I need fear them.’^ 



THIRTY MEN DANCING ABOUT A FIRB 


Then I awakened, feeling very happy because 
I had foimd a way of getting away from the island. 
In a few seconds, however, I knew it was only a 
dream, and I was sorely disappointed. 

I thought a good deal of this dream. If I could 
only get a savage in some such way, what a 


104 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


splendid thing it would be! I should have a 
companion, and perhaps, as in my dream, he 
would help me to reach the land I always saw 
from the hilltops. With these thoughts near 
my heart and in my mind, I kept on the lookout 
for savages, hoping that if one did come, in some 
way I could persuade him to come to my castle. 


»IX BOATS GOME TO THE SHORE 


105 


CHAPTER XXVI 

SIX BOATS COME TO THE SHORE 

About a year and a half passed, after I had 
dreamed this strange dream. Then, one morning, 
I was surprised by seeing no less than six canoes 
drawn up on the shore, on my side of the island. 
The people who belonged to them were all landed 
and out of sight. I knew that each canoe would 
hold at least five or six men, so there must be a 
great many. What to do, I did not at first know, 
for it did not seem possible that I could resist so 
many. What could it mean? Where had they 
come from? And where were they now? 

I remained quietly in my castle for a long time, 
thinking it all over. As I heard no noise, I placed 
my gims at the foot of the ladder and, climbing 
the hill, stood so that my head could not be seen 
over the top, should they look that way. Looking 
through my glass, I saw thirty men, who were all 
dancing about a fire which they had kindled on 
the beach. 


106 


KOBINSON CRUSOE 


In a few seconds they dragged two miserable 
creatures from one of the boats. One of these they 
knocked down and killed, that they might feast 
upon him. The other they bound hand and foot, 
and left him standing to one side, until they should 
be ready for him. In that very moment the poor 
wretch broke loose and ran swiftly toward my 
home. When I saw this I was dreadfully 
frightened. I thought all of the savages were 
after him, and that, as in my dream, he would 
certainly take refuge in my grove. I was afraid 
that, unlike the dream, the other savages might 
come too, and find him and me there. 

When I saw that only three were following him, 
I began to be less alarmed. The one trying to 
escape was gaining ground each second. If he 
could only hold out for a half hour, I saw he could 
easily get away from his pursuers. 

There was between my castle and the savages 
a creek. You may remember that I landed my 
raft there when I brought my first cargo from 
the wreck. When the poor flying savage came 
to this creek, he made nothing of it, but plunged 
in and swam rapidly to the other side. Two of 
the others jumped in after him, but they were 
twice as long in getting across the creek. The 
third savage could not swim, so he turned and 
went slowly back to his comrades on the shore. 

I now thought that my chance to have a servant 


SIX BOATS COME TO THE SHORE 


107 


had come. I felt, too, that I was called by God 
to save this poor creature^s life. If I succeeded, 
he would make for me a companion as well as a 
servant. So I ran down the ladder with all pos- 
sible speed, to get my gims. With the same haste, 
I went to the top of some rising ground, crossing 
from there to the sea by a short cut. By doing 
this, I placed myself between the man who was 
rimning away and the two who ran after him. 

I cried out to the poor fellow to come to me. 
He looked back, but at first he was as much 
afraid of me as of them. I beckoned and motioned 
to him, with my hand, to come back. Then I 
went slowly toward the other two, and rushing 
upon one of them I knocked him down with my 
gun, not liking to fire, for fear the men on the 
shore would hear the noise. When the other 
savage, who was following, saw his companion 
knocked down, he stood still as if greatly frightened. 
Then I drew nearer to him, when I saw him raise 
his bow and arrow as if to aim at me, so I shot 
him dead. 

The poor wretch who had been nmning away 
stopped. But although he had seen both of his 
enemies fall, he was much more frightened by the 
noise of my gun, and was about to run away 
again. I beckoned to him to come nearer, and 
tried in every way to take away his fear of me. 
After much coaxing he came a little way toward 


108 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


me; then, when he stopped again, I noticed that 
he shook with fear; so I made all signs I could 
think of, to let him know that I was indeed his 
friend. At length he came very close, and, kneel- 
ing down, kissed the ground. Then he laid his 



KNEELING DOWN, HE KISSED THE GROUND 


head upon the ground and, taking one of my feet 
in his hands, set it on his head. He did all this 
to show me he would be my slave forever. I 
raised him up and by signs showed him that I was 

pleased. 


SIX BOATS COME TO THE SHORE 


109 


But there was more work to do yet. I saw the 
savage I had knocked down was not dead, but had 
been only stunned by the blow. He had come to 
himself and was sitting up. My savage — or slave, as 
I may now call him — saw this, too, and he spoke 
some words to me. I did not understand what 
he said, but it was very pleasant to my ear, as it 
was the first voice I had heard besides my own 
in twenty-five years. 

When I raised my gim to fire at the man on the 
ground, my slave made signs to me that he would 
like to take the sword that hung by my side. As 
soon as he got it, he ran to his enemy and at one 
blow cut off his head. He then came back laugh- 
ing, and laid the sword and the head at my feet. 

He seemed filled with wonder that I could have 
killed the other savage when so far away from 
him. He made signs to me to let him go to look 
at the body, and as well as I could I bade him do 
so. When he came up to it, he stood like one 
lost in amazement, turning it first on one side, and 
then on the other. He looked with surprise at the 
wound on its breast, not being able to understand 
how it was done. Then he took up the dead 
savage^s bows and arrows and came back to me. 

I turned, as if to go away, and made signs to 
him to follow me, for fear other savages should 
search us out. Upon this he made me understand 
by his motions that he should like to bury the 


110 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


dead men. At once he went to work, and in a 
very short time scraped out with his hands two 
holes in the ground. Into these he quickly 
dropped the bodies and covered them up. 

This being done, I took him to my cave on the 
other side of the island, as it hardly seemed wise 
to let him see my castle at once. When we 
reached the cave, I gave him a bunch of raisins 
and some bread, also a drink of water. I next 
showed him a place to sleep, where I had laid 
rice straw and a blanket. So the poor creature 
lay down and was soon fast asleep, weary from 
his long rim. 


ROBINSON NAMES HIS SLAVE 


111 


CHAPTER XXVII 

ROBINSON NAMES HIS SLAVE 

My savage was a handsome fellow, tall and 
well shaped. His hair was long and black. His 
skin was of a light brown color. His forehead 
was large and high. He had sharp, bright eyes, 
and his teeth were well set and white. In fact, his 
whole face was most pleasing. I thought he must 
be about twenty-six years old. 

After he had slept about half an hour, he awak- 
ened and came out to me. I had gone into the 
park, where I was busy milking my goats. As 
soon as he spied me, he came running to me, 
making all the signs he could to show that he was 
most thankful. Kneeling down before me, he 
took one of my feet in his hands and placed it on 
his head, as he had done before, to let me know 
he would serve me as long as he lived. I made 
signs that I understood what he would say to me, 
and that I was much pleased with him. 

In a little while I began to speak to him and to 


112 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


teach him to speak to me. I let him know his 
name should be ^ Triday/’ which was the day 
I had saved his life. I also taught him my name 
was to be ^'Master/^ and to say, ^^Yes,'’ and, ''No/' 
and made him see what the words meant. Then 
we sat down to our first meal together, and I kept 
him with me in the cave that night. 

In the morning we went together to the shore. 
We could see nothing of the savages or their boats, 
so it was clear that they had left the island without 
further search for their comrades who had followed 
Friday. But they had left behind them what to me 
was a sickening sight. The ground was covered 
with human bones and pieces of fiesh. 

I could see quite plainly that Friday wanted to 
eat some of the fiesh. But I let him know, as well 
as I could, that I should be very angry if he tried 
to do so; and should shoot and kill him if he did. 

Then Friday went on to tell me, in signs, that 
there had been a great battle between these 
savages and the king of his country. The savages 
who came to the island had won in the fight. They 
brought four prisoners to feast upon, the other 
prisoners having been taken elsewhere. 

Then I had Friday gather all of the bones and 
pieces of flesh together in a heap, and bum them to 
ashes. When he had done this I took him to my 
castle, and at once set to work to get him some 
clothes. First of all I gave him a pair of linen 


ROBINSON NAMES HIS SLAVE 


113 


drawers, which I had taken out of a gunner's chest. 
Then I made him a coat of goat's skin, trousers, 
and a cap of hare's skin. He was very proud of these 
clothes, although he was awkward at first, and 
did not know how to get around, as he had never 
worn clothes before. After a while he did very 
well. 

I now began to wonder where it would be best 
for Friday to sleep. I did not like to have him 
in my room, as it might not be safe to trust him 
so near while I slept. So I made a little tent for 
him and placed it between my two fences. I 
barred up the door to my cave in such a way that 
he could not enter without making a noise that 
would waken me at once. But I soon saw I need 
not be afraid of Friday. A more loving, faithful 
servant and friend could not have been foimd. 


114 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XXVIII 

FRIDAY LEARNS TO WORK 

Our lives ran on happily, for I was much pleased 
with my new companion. And I made up my 
mind that I would teach him everything that 
would be useful to him. He was glad to learn, 
and so I taught him to speak English. He 
was very bright and it was not long before he 
could understand when I spoke to him in that 
language. 

Life had now become so easy that I'said to myself : 
^Tf I could be entirely free of my dread of savages, 
I should be content to live on the island the rest 
of my life.’^ 

Friday was much troubled and puzzled over 
my gim. He could not understand how it could 
kill a savage when he was so far away from it. 
So one morning, when he had not been with me 
long, I took him with me to the woods. On the 
way there, I saw in the shade of the roadside a 
goat and two young kids. I caught hold of Friday, 


FRIDAY LEARNS TO WORK 


115 


and said: “Stand still!” Then raising , my gim, 
I shot and killed one of the kids. 

Poor Friday trembled with fear. He did not 
see the kid I shot at, so thought I meant to kill 



PRAYING ME NOT TO KILL HIM 


him, as I found out afterward. With trembling 
hands he quickly tore open his shirt to feel if he 
was not wounded, as his enemy had been. Then 
he came and kneeled down to me, and caught me 
by the knees, and spoke to me with tears in his 



116 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


eyes. I could not understand all that he said, 
but I could easily see that he was praying me 
not to kill him. 

To show him that I would do him no harm, I 
took him by the hand, and pointing to the dead 
kid, I told him to fetch it to me, which he did at 
once. Then I asked him to look carefully where 
the kid had been wounded. While he was looking 
at it, I reloaded my gun. Seeing a hawk in a tree 
near by, I told him to watch me fire at it. He 
watched and saw the bird fall to the ground, the 
moment I fired. As he had not seen me put any- 
thing in the gun, he was still frightened. He 
thought some evil spirit must be in it, that it 
could kill man, beast or bird, near by or far off. 
I saw it was not easy to make him understand a 
gun. 

If I had let him, I believe he would have prayed 
to the gun. For several days he would not so 
so much as touch it, though he would speak to it 
when he thought I was not near to hear him. 
Afterward he told me he used to ask it not to kill 
him. 

I brought home the bird we shot that day, and 
made some good broth of it. Friday ate some of 
it, and liked it very well, although he wondered 
that I put salt in mine. The next day I roasted 
a piece of the kid, by hanging it over the fire on a 
string, as I had seen people in England do. I gave 


FRIDAY LEARNS TO WORK 


117 


some of it to Friday, and he tried in every possible 
way to let me know how good he thought it was. 
And at last he told me, in his way of talking, that 
he would never eat man's flesh again. 

Next day I set Friday to work to grind com. 
Then I told him I should raise more com, so that 
there would be bread for both of us. In the right 
season I taught him how to plant and harvest the 
com and rice, and how to make baskets and 
dishes. He milked the goats at night, and helped 
me when I made butter and cheese. Last of all 
he learned how to make bread and how to bake it. 
Very soon he did all of the work. 


118 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XXIX 

ROBINSON TELLS FRIDAY OF GOD 

My first year with Friday as a companion was 
the pleasantest year of all my life on the island. 
Friday had now been with me long enough to 
speak English fairly well, and to know the meaning 
of all I said to him. Then it was that I began to 
talk to him about God. I asked him who made 
him, but the poor creature did not know what I 
meant. Then I said: ^^Do you know who made 
the sea, the ground we walk on, the green hills 
and deep woods?’' He told me it was Benee, 
who lived beyond all. 

He could tell me nothing of this person, except 
that he was very old, ^^much older than the sea 
or land, the moon or stars.” 

Then I asked him: ^Tf he is so old, and has 
made all things, why do not people pray to him?” 

Friday looked very grave, and then said: ^^All 
things say ^0’ to him.” 

I asked him if the people who died in his countxy 


ROBINSON TELLS FRIDAY OF GOD 


119 


went anywhere after death. He said : ^^All go to 
Benee.” 

Then I began to tell him of the true God. Point- 
ing up to the sky, I said: “God lives up there, 
Friday. He has made everything, and can do 



I OFTEN READ TO HIM PROM THE BIBLE 


much for us. Or, if He pleases. He can take all 
things from us. The stars are made by Him, and 
the little mountain streams, that with the aid of 
the wind and the rain make the rivers and the 
great ocean. The green grass and herb for the 


120 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


use of man are the work of His hand. He not 
only sees us, but He knows our thoughts, hears 
our words, and sees all we do. He is good to all 
those who do right, but angry with those who 
disobey Him. God^s love knows no end. And 
when we pray. He draws near to listen to us, and 
help us.’^ 

I also taught Friday that it is good to pray to 
God, who loves and blesses all those who do right, 
and is even merciful to those who do wrong. 

I then told him of Jesus Christ, and I often read 
to him from the Bible, and tried to make him 
understand what I read. 

Friday always listened with great attention 
when I read, and seemed much pleased when I 
spoke of Jesus, and the story of His life. At last, 
to my great joy, I brought him to believe in God 
and to have faith in the Christ who had redeemed 
him. 


FRIDAY TELLS ABOUT HIS COUNTRY 121 


CHAPTER XXX 

FRIDAY TELLS ABOUT HIS COUNTRY 

After Friday and I became better acquainted, 
and I felt sure he understood almost everything 
I said to him, I told him the story of my life upon 
the island — how many years I had been there, 
and of the way in which I lived. I showed him 
the spot where we had been wrecked, and all that 
was left of our boat, as it was now nearly fallen 
to pieces. 

When he saw the boat, Friday stood for some 
time in deep thought. At last he said: ^^Me see 
such boat come to place in my country.” I did 
not understand him at first, but when we came 
to talk more about it, I thought some ship must 
have been wrecked on the coast of the country 
from which he came, and that the boat of which 
he spoke must have belonged to that ship. 

Friday then went on to say that the ship was full 
of white men, adding with great warmth: “We 
save the white mans from drown.” I asked him 


122 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


how many there were, and he counted upon his 
fingers seventeen. When I asked him what 
became of them, he said: ^They live, they dwell 
at my coimtry.^^ 

This reply put a new thought in my mind. 
They must have been the men on the ship which 
was wrecked on the rocks just south of my island. 

I could hardly believe that they could still be 
alive, if they had been cast upon that wild shore 
among savages. So I asked Friday: ^^What has 
become of the white men?’’ He told me they 
were surely all alive, that they had now been 
there four years, and that the savages were good 
to them. I asked him how it was they did not 
kill and eat the white men. He replied: ^^They 
no eat mans, unless they make the war fight.” 
He meant to say: ^They never eat men unless 
it be those taken in battle.” 

Some time after this, we were on the hilltop 
from which the mainland of South America could 
be seen on a clear day. Friday stood and gazed 
upon the water for a long time, as if seeking for 
something. Suddenly he began to jump and ( 
dance, and then cry out to me, as I was some 
distance from him. I called out: ‘Whatus the 
matter?” As I drew nearer he cried: ^^Qh, joy ! 
Oh, glad! There is my country.” His hands 
were stretched out as if in longing for his home^ 
and his bright eyes sparkled with pleasure. 


FRIDAY TELLS ABOUT HIS COUNTRY 123 

At once I began to feel very uneasy, and to doubt 
Friday. He seemed to want to go to his country. 
I believed that if he could but find a way to get 
there, he would forget all that I had taught him 
about God. I feared that he would return with 
some of his countrymen to the island. They 
would make me their prisoner and kill me, and 
then they would make a feast, as they had done 
when they brought the other poor wretches to the 
shore. 

But I wronged poor Friday, as I found out 
afterward. Still, as long as this fear lasted, I was 
not very friendly, and kept away from him as 
much as possible. I questioned him daily, to 
find out as much as I could what he really thought 
and felt. 

Once, when walking upon the same hill with 
him, I said: ^ Triday, do you not wish to be in 
your own land?’^ 

“Yes,^^ he said, be, oh, much glad to be in 
my country.’^ 

^^What would you do there?^^ I asked. “Would 
you turn wild again, and eat men^s flesh?^^ 

He looked very thoughtful for some time, and 
then he shook his head. “No!^^ he said. “No! 
Friday tell them to live good; tell them to pray 
to God; tell them to eat corn, and cattle flesh, no 
eat man again. 

“Why, then,'^ said I to him, “they will kill you.^' 


124 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


He looked very grave for a few minutes; then 
he replied : ‘'No ! No ! they no kill me, they willing 
to learn love/^ 

Then I asked him if he would go back. He 
smiled and said: “I no swim so far.^^ Then I 
told him I would make a canoe for him. He said : 
“I go if you go, too.^^ 

‘T go! why they will eat me if I go there 
“No! No!^^ cried Friday. “Me make them no 
eat you, me make them much love you.^^ He 
meant by this that he would tell them how I had 
killed his enemies, and saved his life. 

Then he told me how kind they were to the 
seventeen white men who had been cast on their 
shore in such distress and suffering. 


THE NEW BOAT 


125 


CHAPTER XXXI 

THE NEW BOAT 

From this time on, I had a strong desire to go 
to Friday^s country. I thought the white men 
who were now there must be Spaniards. Should 
this be the case, I did not doubt that we could 
find some way in which to make our escape to 
Europe. So after some days I took Friday to see 
my little boat, as I had never shown it to him 
before. He thought it was too small to go so 
far. Then I said I had a larger one; and we went 
to the boat which I had made at first, but could 
not get into the water. Friday said this one 
was large enough ; but we could not use it, because 
it had lain there for twenty-three years, and was 
split and rotten from exposure to the sun and 
heavy rains. 

I told Friday we would not despair. We could 
get a tree, and make a boat as large as this one, 
and he should go home in it. When I said this 
he looked sad, and troubled, and did not at first 


126 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


answer me. Then he said: “Why you angry 
mad at Friday? What have me done?^’ 

I told him I was not angry with him. 

“No angry/^ said he, “why send Friday home 
to his coimtry?” 

) “Why,^^ said I, “did you not tell me you would 

like to return; that you wished you were there?^^ 

“Yes! Yes!^’ said he. “Wish we both there. 
No wish Friday there, no master there.’’ 

“If I go there, Friday, what shall I do?” 

He answered: “You do great deal much good, 
you teach wild men to be good. You tell them 
pray to God, and lead new life.” 

“No, Friday,” said I, “you go and leave me here 
to live as I did before.” 

He looked grieved when I said this, and ran to 
get one of the hatchets which he sometimes wore 
at his belt. He handed it to me and I said : “What 
must I do with this?” 

“What you send Friday away for? Take, kill 
Friday. No send Friday away.” This he said 
with tears streaming down his cheeks, and there 
was so much feeling in his voice that I felt safe in 
his love for me. I told him that he should not 
go away from me, if he were willing to remain. 

And I made up my mind, then and there, to 
build a boat that should be large enough to carry 
both of us. So we soon set to work at it; I let 
Friday find the tree, as he knew so much better 


THE NEW BOAT 


127 


than I which would be the best for a boat. It did 
no.t take him long to get one, and it was one that 
grew near the water, which would aid us in launch- 
ing the boat when finished. He also cut down the 
tree for me, and his plan was to burn out a cavity 
or hollow place in the trunk, for the inside of the 
boat. But I showed him how it would be better 
to cut it out with tools, as I had done before, and 
he did his work well. 

In about a month we had as handsome a canoe 
as one could wish for, and one that would carry 
twenty men. Then we made rollers, which we 
put under her, and in this way we moved her, inch 
by inch, into the water. When once she was 
afloat, I was surprised to see with what skill 
Friday managed her. It was evident that he was 
used to a canoe, as he could turn her with great 
swiftness, and paddle with ease along the coast. 

I asked him if he thought her strong enough 
to carry us over. ^^Yes,’^ said he, ^Ve go over 
very well, though big wind blow.^’ 

I felt sure that Friday would know nothing about 
a mast and sail, and how to fit the boat out with 
an anchor and cable. I pitched upon a young 
tree which Friday cut down, and I taught him how 
to go to work to shape it into a mast. From my 
old sails I cut out two pieces which I made into 
what we call, in England, shoulder-of-mutton 
sails. Then we made a rudder for steering our 


128 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


vessel. When all was done, I taught Friday the 
use of the sail, and how to use a rudder. He soon 
learned, as he was very attentive. 


THREE STRANGE CANOES 


129 


CHAi^TER XXXII 

THREE STRANGE CANOES 

I had now been on the island twenty-six years. 
Friday had lived with me nearly two years, and 
I thanked God each day that so faithful a com- 
panion had been given me. The rainy season 
was upon us, and we had to wait for fair weather 
before we started on our voyage. I had stowed 
our vessel in the creek, and I made my man Friday 
dig a little dock, just big enough to hold her and 
just deep enough to give her water to float in. 

We were busy most of the time, preparing things 
with which to store our boat, for the settled warm 
weather would soon come, and we should be able 
to launch her. I was busy upon something of the 
kind one morning, when I called Friday, and bade 
him go to the seashore, for a tortoise or a turtle, 
which we got once a week for the sake of the flesh 
as well as the eggs. He had been gone but a short 
time, when he came running back and flew over my 
outer fence, his feet hardly touching the ground. 


130 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


Before I had time to speak to him, he cried out : 
“Oh, Master! Oh, sorrow! Oh, bad!’^ 

“Wliat is the matter, Friday?’^ I asked. 

“Oh, bad. Out there, canoes, one — two — 
three.” 

“Well, Friday,” said I, “do not be afraid.” For 
I saw the poor fellow trembled with fear, so that 
he could hardly stand up. He thought they had 
come back to search for him, and would certainly 
kill and eat him. So I said: “Can you fight, 
Friday? For we shall fight them.” 

“Me shoot,” said he, “but there come many 
great number.” 

“Have no fear,” said I, “those we do not kill, we 
shall frighten away. Now! will you stand by me, 
and do just as I bid you?” 

He said: “Me die when you bid die. Master.” 

We at once prepared to fight. I loaded six 
guns and two pistols. I hung my sword by my 
side, and gave Friday a hatchet. Then I went 
to the hilltop, with my glass, to take a good look 
at the savages. I saw there were twenty-one men, 
three prisoners and three canoes. They had landed 
at a place nearer to my creek than when they came 
with Friday, and where the woods were close down 
to the shore. 

I came down to Friday and told him I was going 
to kill them all. I asked if he would stand by 
me, He said again; he would die “when Master 


THREE STRANGE CANOES 


131 


bid die/’ Their three prisoners were all bound 
with cords, and the savages were preparing for 
their feast. Something must be done at once, if 
we would save their lives. 

I gave Friday a pistol to stick in his belt, and 
three guns to put on his shoulder. I took the 
other guns and pistol, and we started on our march. 
We went a full mile out of our way, so that we 
might get to the woods and hide there. Then 
I said to Friday: ^^Go to the top of the great 
tree near the edge of the woods, and see what they 
are doing.” He did as I bade him. He came 
back in a very short time with his report. He 
said the savages were all seated around a fire, 
eating the flesh of one of their prisoners. An- 
other prisoner lay bound on the sand, and they 
would eat him next. He was not a savage but 
a white man, and Friday thought him to be one 
of those who had been cast on their shore, at the 
time of the shipwreck. 

What I heard filled me with anger and horror, 
but there was not one moment to lose. We both 
moved on softly, and I charged Friday to keep 
close behind me, and not to speak aloud or to do 
anything until I bade him. Very soon we came 
to a little hill that gave me a full view of them, as 
they were not more than eighty yards away. 
Nineteen of these wretches sat huddled together 
upon the ground, and the other two had gone to 


132 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


bring the white man, and were stooping down to 
untie the cords that bound him. 

^^Now, Friday/^ said I, ^hs the time to shoot, to 
save the white man’s life. Do as I bid you.” 
Friday said he would. I placed two of my guns 
on the ground, and taking up the third, I aimed 
it at the savages, ^riday did likewise. When 
I gave the word, ^Tire!” Friday was ready, and 
we both fired at once. As he was not afraid of the 
gun now, he did well. His aim was so much better 
than mine that he killed two and wounded three 
more; I only killed one and wounded two. The 
savages who were not hurt jumped up, too crazed 
with fright to know where to look or where to run. 

Friday had kept his eyes close upon me, as I had 
bidden him do . I took up another gun . ^ ^ Are you 

ready, Friday?” I said. ^Tfso, let fly.” We both 
fired again; only two were killed, but a great many 
were wounded. These ran about, screaming and 
yelling like madmen. I hastily picked up a gun 
and whispered to Friday to follow me. We rushed 
down the hill and through the woods to the shore 
where the savages were. 

As soon as we knew we had been seen, we both 
shouted loudly, and made for the spot where the 
poor prisoner lay, as fast as we could under the 
heavy burden of our guns. The two who had been 
about to untie him ran at the noise of our guns to 
their canoe, and three of the others followed them. I 


THREE STRANGE CANOES 


133 


bade Friday shoot at them, and I thought that he 
had killed them all, for I saw them all fall into the 
bottom of the canoe. Two of them, however, sat 
up again. Two were killed and one wounded. 

While Friday was busy firing at them, I pulled 
out my knife and cut the cords that bomid the 
white man. He was very weak, so that it was 
some little time before he could stand up or speak. 
I gave him a drink from a bottle I had with me, 
and it seemed to give him strength; then I offered 
him a piece of bread, which he ate eagerly. I 
asked him what he was. He said he was a Span- 
iard, and he tried in every way to thank me for 
saving his hfe. 

Then I gave him my sword and a pistol, and 
told him to use them if he could, as there was still 
fighting to do. It seemed to give him new life, 
for he fell upon his enemies and in an instant 
killed two. In the meantime Friday had run 
after the flying savages, with no weapon but a 
hatchet; with it he killed three. At last only four 
were left, and they escaped in their canoe. I 
wanted so much to follow them, so that no savages 
might be left to carry the news home. So I ran 
to one of the canoes and called Friday to follow 
me. Imagine my surprise, on jumping into the 
boat, to find another prisoner, an old man, bound 
hand and foot, and almost dead from fear. He 
was lying in the bottom of the canoe. 


134 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XXXIII 

FRIDAY FINDS HIS FATHER 

When I cut the thongs that bound him, he 
gave a deep groan. He thought I had come to 
lead him out to death. Friday came up at that 
moment, and I bade him speak to the old man in 
his own tongue, and tell him no harm would come 
to him, that he was free. Friday obeyed me, and 
approaching the prisoner, who now sat up in the 
canoe, he looked into his face and spoke to him. 
But as soon as he heard the old man’s voice, Friday 
threw his arms about his neck, kissing and hugging 
him, crying, jumping, dancing, laughing by turns. 
For a long time he could not speak, to let me 
know what all this meant, but at length he said : 
^^Oh, Master! my father!” 

I can never tell you all that Friday did to show 
his love for his father, or his joy at seeing him. 
He held his head close to his breast, that he might 
give him warmth. Then he set to work to rub 
his hands and feet, which were cold and stiiBf from 


miDAr FATHm 


135 


being bound so long. The coming of Friday’s 
father put an end to following the savages, for 
they were nearly out of sight now. 

Friday seemed so busy about his father that I 
could not bear to take him away, or to disturb him. 



FRIDAY THREW HIS ARMS ABOUT HIS NECK 


But after a while I said: ^^Have you given your 
father any bread to eat?” He shook his head and 
said: ^^No, ugly dog eat all up self.” So I gave 
him bread out of my pouch and a bunch of raisins. 
He gave these to his father, and then he jumped 


136 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


out of the boat and ran away as swiftly as a deer. 
I called to him, but he did not stop. In a quarter 
of an hour I saw him coming back, bringing a jug 
of water and some bread. He gave the bread to 
me. The water he carried to his father. It did 
the poor old man more good than all else, as he 
was sick and faint from thirst. 

After Friday had cared for his father, I asked 
him if there w^ere any water left. He said : ^^Yes, 
Master So I told him to give it to the poor 
Spaniard, who was lying in the shade of a tree. 
Friday gave him the bread and water, which seemed 
to revive him. The man then tried to stand up and 
walk about, but his ankles were stiff and swollen 
from the rude bandages he had been bound with, 
so he could not do so. 

We saw they were both too weak to walk far, so 
Friday took them in a canoe as far as our creek, 
and there I met them. It did not take long to 
make a kind of hand-barrow from the boughs of 
trees, and to place them carefully upon it. Then 
Friday and I carried them to our castle. 

We could not get them over the fence, so we 
made a tent outside, of old sail cloth, which we 
covered with boughs. Then we saw that they 
had beds of rice straw, with each a blanket to lie 
on, and blankets for covers. This done, we killed 
a goat, and prepared broth with rice, besides our 
roasted meat. I carried it into the tent, and set 


FRIDAY FINDS HIS FATHER 


137 


the table. We all had dinner together, and I 
tried to cheer the newcomers and make them feel 
at home. 

When our meal was finished, Friday took a canoe 
and fetched our guns and pistols, which in our 
haste we had left on the shore. The next day 
he buried the bodies of the dead savages, and he 
did it so well that when I went to the place again, 
I sav/ no marks of what had happened. 

A little later I began to talk to my new friends. 
I had Friday ask his father if he thought the savages 
who had escaped in their canoe would ever reach 
their own country; and if they did whether they 
would come again, and bring more savages with 
them? Fie said he thought they must have 
been lost in the storm which had come up soon 
after they left. If they had reached home, 
they would teU their people that their comrades 
had been killed by thunder and lightning; and 
that Friday and I were two spirits sent to kill 
them. This he said he knew, because he had 
heard them cry it out to one another. These people 
could not believe that men could kill at a distance, 
as we had killed the savages, and dart fire or 
speak thunder. 

This, however, I could not be sure about. And 
for some time I felt it would be safer to keep on 
guard, with my little army of four men. We 
watched the shore constantly, but we saw no 


138 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


more canoes, and we felt we were strong enough 
to fight a battle with a himdred men, should they 
come. As none came, after a while my fears were 
gone, and I thought again of the voyage to the 
mainland. 

I talked to the Spaniard about it, and he told 
me there were sixteen of his countrymen living 
peaceably with the savages. But he said they 
had great trouble to get enough to eat. I asked 
him, then, if he thought they would be willing 
to come to my island, and I said: “If they will 
come, we will build a boat large enough to carry 
us all to Brazil.” 

He seemed pleased at what I said, and replied : 
“I will take Friday ^s father and go over and speak 
to my countrymen, among the savages, about 
your plan, and bring back their answer.” But 
he did not think it would be wise for them to 
return with him, unless we could have a larger 
supply of rice and com. “What you have now,” 
he added, “will feed only four men. If sixteen 
more were to come, we should have a famine.” 

So we all set to work and dug up more land, and 
planted all the seed we could spare; and Friday’s 
father and the Spaniard were to await another 
harvest. I added to my stock of tame goats, 
taking in twenty young kids. When the season 
for curing grapes came on, we picked double the 
usual quantity and hung them in the trees to dry. 


FRIDAY FINDS HIS FATHER 


139 


We also made many baskets in which to store our 
rich harvest of grain and fruit. When the time 
came to gather our com, two hundred and twenty 
bushels were gathered — surely enough to feed 
sixteen Spaniards had they been with us. 

And now, as we had food in plenty, Friday^s 
father and the Spaniard made ready to go. I gave 
them each a gun and powder, with bread and 
grapes to last them eight days at sea; and a supply 
for the sixteen Spaniards. Wishing them a good 
voyage, we saw them start. They promised to 
bang out a flag on their boat, when they came 
back, so that we might know them at a distance. 


140 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XXXIV 

A SHIP COMES TO THE ISLAND 

Eight days had passed, and we now waited and 
looked for the return of Friday^s father and the 
Spaniard. I was fast asleep in my castle one 
morning, when my man Friday came running in 
to me and called aloud: ^ ^Master! Master! they 
have come! they are here!’^ As soon as I could 
get my clothes on, I went out, and through the 
little grove to where I could have a view of the 
sea. Turning my eyes toward the water, I saw 
a boat with a sail, coming straight for the island; 
it might have been a half-mile distant. But it 
was on the wrong side of the island. It could 
not be the one bringing our people. 

I called Friday and told him it was not his father 
and the Spaniard heading for the shore. I bade 
him keep in hiding, as we did not know yet whether 
they were friends or enemies. Then I got my 
glass and went to the top of the hill to get a better 
view. I had scarcely set my foot upon the hill, 


A SHIP COMES TO THE ISLAND 


141 


when I discovered a ship at anchor at the south 
of the island; she must have been five miles out 
at sea. I knew it to be an English vessel, and the 
boat to be an English long-boat, and my joy was 
great at seeing them. 

But why had this ship come so far out of the 
way of all traffic? There could be no trade for 
the English in this part of the world. So I made 
up my mind to be on my guard, until I could 
know why they had come to the island. Perhaps 
they were wicked men, who were about to commit 
some crime. Surely, no storm had driven them 
here. So I would keep out of their sight for a 
while. 

But I had not very long to wait. They came 
rowing toward the shore in their boat, as if they 
were looking for some creek in which to land. 
Not seeing one, they ran their boat on shore upon 
the beach, about half 4^mile from me. I was glad 
of this, for otheiwiseJthey would have landed 
just at my door. I saw there were eleven men. 
Three of them were unarmed, and seemed to 
be bound with ropes. All of the men were 
English. Six of them jumped on shore, taking 
with them the three who were bound. I was 
much troubled when I saw this, as I could not 
know what it meant. And Friday, who stood at 
my side, said : “Oh, Master ! you see English mans 
eat prisoner as well as savage mans.” 


142 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


^'Oh, Friday/^ said I, ^^do you think they will 
eat them?’’ 

^^Yes/’ said Friday, ^^they will eat them.” 

'^No! No! Friday,” I cried, am afraid they 
may kill them, but you may depend upon it, they 
will not eat them.” 

i Just then one of the men raised his sword, as if 
he were going to strike one of the prisoners, but 
in a moment he lowered it. Then the six who 
had been the first to land scattered about in 
the woods, as if they wanted to see what kind 
of a country they had come to. They left the 
prisoners free to do as they hked, and the poor 
men sat down on the ground and looked very 
sad. 

But the six who rambled off into the woods went 
too far and stayed too long. The tide went out, 
leaving their boat aground quite a distance from 
the water. Two men had remained in the boat 
to guard it. Both of them had fallen asleep, but 
now one of them awakened and sa\7 that the boat 
was aground. He called out to his comrades, who 
soon reached the shore and tried to drag the boat 
into the water; but it was past all their strength, 
they could not move her. So they rambled off 
into the woods again, and I heard one of them say : 
^We must wait. She’ll float next tide.” 

All this while, I had kept myself in hiding. I 
never once dared to stir farther from my castle 


A SHIP COMES TO THE ISLAND 


143 



DO NOT BE AFRAID 

than to the place on the hill where I could watch 
them with my glass. 

I now thought I would go and talk with the 
prisoners, and learn the cause of their trouble. 
I knew the tide would not come in foj* ten hours, 


144 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


and the men, I felt sure, would be gone for some 
time. I took three guns and loaded them, telling 
Friday to do the same, and to keep close behind 
me. Then we marched off. When we were ready, 
our appearance would have caused any one to 
fear us. I had on my goatskin coat and high 
cap, a sword and two pistols in my belt, and guns 
over my shoulders. 

As we drew near I saw that the prisoners were 
not bound now, and were lying on the grass, in 
the shade of a tree. When they saw my strange 
dress, they were frightened, and started up, as if 
to run away. Speaking to them in English, I said : 
^^Do not be afraid. Perhaps you have a friend 
near, when you did not expect to find one.’’ 

One of them then pulled off his hat, and said : 
^^He must be sent from heaven. Are you an 
angel?” 

^^All help comes from God,” I said. ^Tf God 
had sent an angel, he would have been better 
clothed than I. I am an Englishman, with one 
servant. We are well armed and willing to help 
you.” I / M - ^ 

^^Our case, sir,” he said, ^ds too long to tell you, 
while the men v/ho would kill us are so near. To 
be brief, I was the captain of that ship which you 
see out there. This is my mate, tke other is a 
passenger. The crew have risen against me, and 
brought us here to die, believing that no one lived 


A SHIP COMES TO THE ISLAND 


145 


on this island. Some of them are now in these 
woods. If they have heard you speak they will 
certainly return and murder us all.^’ 

I then asked him if they had firearms. He 
replied that the men had two guns, but had left 
one of them in the boat. “Well,” said I, “leave 
the rest to me. If the men left to guard the boat 
are asleep, as I think they are, it would be easy 
enough to kill them, but perhaps it would be 
better to take them prisoners. I believe the others 
would return to their work, and obey orders.” 
The captain agreed with me about the men. 
He added that there were two men who were 
very wicked, and the leaders of the rest. If they 
were prisoners, all would be well. 

“Then, sir,” said I, “if I save your life and your 
ship, are you willing to do two things for me?” 

As if he read my thoughts, he grasped my hand 
and said: “I will do all you ask, if you save my 
life. You shall do as you like with me, and you 
may take my ship where you please. I will go 
with you and serve you in every way.” The mate 
and the passenger said the same thing. 


146 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XXXV 

HOW THE SHIP WAS SAVED 

I sent Friday to the castle for guns, pistols 
and powder, and gave some to the captain and 
his comrades. I had seen the two men who had 
been left in charge of the boat come on shore, so 
I ordered Friday to bring from it the oars, sails 
and guns. Then we waited for the men to come 
out of the woods. 

Very soon three of them appeared. At my 
order the captain and his passenger fired at them. 
Two were killed instantly, the third ran away. 
Then the rest came running toward us. When 
they saw our guns pointed at them, they fell down 
before us, and begged for mercy. The captain 
promised them that we would spare their lives 
if they were sorry for what they had done, and 
would help him to get back his ship. They were 
willing to do this, and promised to be faithful 
and obedient ever afterward. However, we took 
good care to bind them all, hand and foot. The 


HOW THE SHIP WAS SAVED 


147 


two who had been so bad we sent by Friday to 
the cave on the other side of the island. 

We saw that our prisoners had enough to eat 
and drink, and we told them that if they were 
quiet, and behaved well, they should be free in 
a day or two. We had taken the oars and [sails 
from their boat. We now made a big hole in 
the bottom, so that it would be of no use to them; 
then, using our utmost strength, we pulled it far 
up on the beach. 

I next took the captain and his companions 
to my castle. I told them the story of my life, 
and how long I had hved upon the island. They 
were much amazed when they learned how many 
years I had lived there alone; and that I had been 
able to care so well for myself with no one to help 
me. 

But we had now to think of saving the ship. 
The captain was at a loss to know what to do, 
for there were still twenty-six men on board, 
who had risen against him. As there were but 
five of us, and] as they were all well armed, it 
did not seem possible that we could succeed if 
we went to the ship. At last we decided that it 
would be best to wait and see what they would do. 
I could not but think that some of the crew, 
wondering what had become of their boat and 
their comrades, would come to seek them. And 
so it turned out. 


148 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


A gun was fired from the ship, then a flag was 
waved, as a signal to the men to return to them. 
As their boat did not move from the shore, the 
sailors on the ship fired again, and made more 
signals. At last some of them put down a boat 
and rowed to shore. 

As they approached, we saw there were ten 
men, well armed. They put in to the shore, close 
to the spot where their other boat lay. Running 
to it, they were much surprised to find the oars 
and sails gone, and a big hole driven in the bottom 
of it. They shouted for their comrades, and called 
them by name. Receiving no answer, they fired 
another gun, and waited. But again there was 
no answer. Then they marched to the little hill 
under which I had built my home, and shouted and 
called until they were hoarse. 

The captain was very uneasy, as he feared they 
would return to the ship and set sail without him. 
And sure enough, they did walk down toward 
their boat, as if they meant to row to the ship. 

But I thought of a plan to prevent this. I 
ordered Friday and the mate to go over the creek 
and into the woods, until they were about half a 
mile from where the boat lay. Then they were 
to shout as loud as they could, until the men 
heard and answered; and then to go on farther 
and shout again, always keeping out of sight and 
always going farther off and shouting. The men 


HOW THE SHIP WAS SAVED 


149 


would believe the shouting came from their coui- 
rades, who were in distress. In this way they 
would be led far into the island. This plan worked 
well. 

The sailors were just about to push their boat 
from the shore, when Friday and the captain's 
mate hallooed. The men on the shore heard and an- 
swered them, and all but two followed the voices, 
and were lost in the woods. 

The captain, the passenger and I now hurried 
down to the boat. We took with us five of the 
prisoners, whom we thought we could trust to 
help us. One of the two men who had been in the 
boat was now on the shore. The captain, who 
was a little ahead of us, ran up to him, and knocked 
him over with his gun. We then called out to 
the man in the boat to come to us. He did so 
at once, promising to be obedient, if we would 
spare his life. We now had nine men, ready to 
fight the others when they should come. 

In the meantime Friday and the mate did well. 
By their shouting they had drawn their men from 
wood to wood, and from hill to hill, until they had 
led them all around the island. Friday and his 
companion had returned, but it would be quite 
dark before the others reached us. 

Night fell, and, in the darkness, we could hear 
them as they came, calling to one another. They 
were saying that they were on an enchanted 


150 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


island, and would all be killed. After a while, in 
the dim light, we saw them running about on the 
shore, weeping and wringing their hands. Some- 
times they would go into the boat to rest. Then 
they would come on the shore again, and walk 
about. 

My men wished to have a fight at once. But 
I did not want to kill more than could be helped, 
and besides, I wanted to make sure, first, that all 
the men were there. So I ordered Friday and 
the captain to creep softly up to them, on their 
hands and knees, going as near as possible without 
being discovered. Then they were to fire. While 
they were doing this, three of the sailors came 
walking toward them. Friday and the captain 
jumped to their feet, and fired. One, who was 
the leader, and a bad man, was killed at once. 
The second man was wounded, the third ran away. 

At the noise of the guns I came up with my 
army of eight men. It was quite dark, so that 
the sailors could not see who we were, or how 
many there were of us. I made the man they 
had left in the boat — and who was now on our 
side — call out to them to see if they would yield. 
They were told that they must promise to obey 
the captain^ and help him to save the ship from 
the others. 

So he called out to them as loudly as he could: 

^Tom Smith! Tom Smith 1^' 


HOW THE SHIP WAS SAVED 


151 


Smith answered at once: ^^Who^s that?^* 

The other replied: '‘Ay, ay, Tom Smith, throw 
down your arms and yield, or we are all dead 
men!’^ 

“Whom must we yield to? Where are they?^' 
asked Smith. 

“Here we are,’^ said one of our men, “here^s 
our captain, with the governor of the island. 
Our boatswain is killed, and some of our men are 
wounded. If you do not yield, you are all dead 
men.^^ 

“If they will give us quarter, and be merciful 
to us, we will yield.’^ 

Then the captain himself called out: “You 
know my voice, do you not. Smith? If you lay 
down your arms at once, and promise to obey 
orders, you shall all have your lives.^^ 

In a word, they all laid down their arms, and 
begged for their lives and for our mercy. They 
said they were sorry for what they had done, and 
promised not only to obey the captain, but to do 
all they could to help him. We had three men 
bind them, and then take them for our greater 
safety to the cave. Our next work was to take the 
ship from the men who were in her. 


152 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


CHAPTER XXXVI 

ROBINSON GOES HOME TO ENGLAND 

The captain decided to go to the ship, taking 
with him the mate, the passenger, and nine of the 
prisoners whom he felt would be the most trust- 
worthy. We brought my boat from the cove, and 
the passenger was given charge of it, with a crew 
of four men. The captain, his mate, and five other 
men, took their boat. As to me and my man 
Friday, we were to remain upon the island, as we 
still had five prisoners in the cave, to guard and 
provide for. The captain was afraid to take them 
with him, as they had been very bad men, and he 
could not trust them. 

Before the captain started, he promised that if 
he took the ship he would fire seven guns as a 
signal to me that he had succeeded. I sat up that 
night, upon the shore, waiting, watching, listening, 
until nearly two o^clock; so you may be sure I 
was glad when I heard the guns fired — one — two — 
three — one after the other up to the seventh. 


ROBINSON GOES HOME TO ENGLAND 153 

Then, as I was very weary, I went to my castle 
to get a little rest. 

I slept soundly, until I was roused and surprised 
by the noise of a gun. In a few minutes I heard 
a voice calling out: Governor! Governor for 
this was the name they had given me. It was 
the captain^s voice. 

I went out at once to meet him, and we went 
together to the hilltop. Putting his arms about 
me, he said: ^^My friend! there’s your ship. She 
is all yours now; and so are we, and all the ship 
contains.” 

I cast my eyes toward the ship, which they 
had anchored about a half-mile from the shore, at 
the mouth of the creek, where, twenty-eight years 
before, I had landed my raft. Yes, this was the 
ship that was to set me free ! The joyful thought 
was almost too much for me. I could not speak 
one word, and should have fallen to the ground, 
if the captain had not held me fast in his arms. 

As soon as I had recovered a little, I lifted my 
heart in thanksgiving to God, for His mercy 
and loving kindness to me. Then I thanked the 
captain, saying: ^^God has given you to me as a 
friend when my need was great.” 

We sat down after that, and the captain told me 
all about what had been done at the ship. When 
they reached her, all of the men aboard were 
asleep but two, who were on the watch. As they 



154 ROBINSON CRUSOB 

thought the men in the boat were their comrades, 
they did nothing to prevent the captain and his 
followers from getting on board. In an instant 
the two watchmen were made prisoners. Then 


WE LEFT THE ISLAND 


the captain and his men went to the place where 
the others were asleep, and seizing them, bound 
them so quickly that they were made prisoners 
before they knew what had happened. In this 
way the ship was saved. 


ROBINSON GOES HOME TO ENGLAND 155 

The captain now sent down to the boat for 
some things which he had brought me from the 
ship. There were many good things to eat and 
drink, some of which I had not tasted for years; 
and there were two pounds of fine tobacco. Be- 
sides these — and what was a thousand times 
more useful — he brought me shirts, shoes, a hat, ' 
and a suit of clothes of his own, which had been 
worn but a very little. I was delighted to get these 
things, although at first I was very awkward in 
the clothes. It had been so long since I had worn 
any but the poor things I made myself. 

We now began to think what it would be best to 
do with the five prisoners we still had in the cave. 
The captain felt he could not trust them in the ship 
again as sailors. They had been very bad men, 
and might not keep their promises of good be- 
havior in the future. So I said to him: ^‘Why not 
leave them upon the island? 

I should be glad to do so/^ replied the captain. 

^^Well,’^ said I, will send for them and talk 
to them about it.^^ So I ordered Friday and two 
of the sailors who had been given their freedom 
to go to the cave and take the prisoners, bound, 
to the bower. There they were to await my 
coming. 

When I reached there, I said to them: '^The 
captain will not trust you again as sailors on his 
ship, as your conduct has been so bad. Even if 


156 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


he could trust you, and took you back to England, 
you would be hanged. We wish to save your 
hves, so we will set you free, if you are willing to 
stay on this island.’’ 

They were glad of the offer, and said, as they 
thanked me, that they would much rather stay on 
the island than to return to England. Then I told 
them the story of my life, while hving upon the isl- 
and ; and showed them how to manage. I led them to 
my castle, my cornfields, my goat parks, and my 
bower, and said: ^^You may have them all, as I 
am going to England on the ship.” I taught them 
how to grind com, and how to make bread, how 
I cured grapes, and how to feed and care for the 
goats. I told them of the sixteen Spaniards who 
were expected, and I left a letter for them. I 
made the five promise to treat the Spaniards well, 
should they return with Friday’s father. 

Having done all this, I left, the next day, and 
went on shipboard. I took Friday with me, as 
he would not consent to be parted from me; 
and I had become so attached to him, that it 
would have been a grief to be obliged to give him ( 
up. 

I took home with me, as relics, my goatskin coat 
and cap, my umbrella, and one parrot. And I 
did not forget to take the bag of money, which 
would be worth something now. I could not but 
feel sad to leave my island home, my cave, my 


ROBINSON GOES HOME TO ENGLAND 157 

vineyard and orchard which I had planted, my goat 
and my parrots. They had all become dear to me. 
We left the island on the 19th of December, 

1686. I had been on it twenty-eight years, two 
months and nineteen days. After a long voyage 
I arrived in England on June 11th, in the year 

1687. I had been absent thirty-five years. 

Soon afterward I went down to Yorkshire, only 

to find that both my father and mother had died. 


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